My Fate, Our Destiny
by smiggers
Summary: AU! The events that her twisted fate brings. Memories of her long forgotten past are awakened. Each day looms the immenient reunion. Nano/Fate. Partially explicit content. You have been warned. This series is completed as of 2nd April 2009.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of MGLN.

Author's Note: Hello there. This is my first and hopefully not my last fic for MGLN. Like all other writers out there, I'm a big fan of the anime. Seeing that the series has drawn to a close and all the fans going on a MGLN withdrawal (well, just me really…) I have decided to try my hand at writing a MGLN fic. Do note that this is completely AU and has no links whatsoever to the original anime. It does however retain the characters' personalities. (I'll try anyway…) A big shout-out to the MGLN community as well as to the other writers whose work have greatly inspired me. Also, a big thank you to my beta, code named corn 2. *winks*

Read and Review. But more importantly, Enjoy.

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My Fate, Our Destiny

Prologue

The dwindling sun rays made a final attempt to breach the flimsy white lace curtains. The brilliant orange beams stretched across the maroon carpeted room, reaching for the far end before falling short midway across. Its weakening rays hit an inverted glass tumbler sitting on its open end on a polished oak round table. The hexagonal patterns spanning around the glass surface reflected the orange light around the room. A dark speck no bigger than a corn kennel, seemingly flew upwards and hit the bottom of the glass tumbler with a sharp rap. The beetle climbed down in a daze, yet it did not abandon its attempt to escape. Crawling around the rim of the glass, it actively sought an opening large enough for its body to crawl through. Finding none after having looped an entire round, it once again flung itself off its rear limbs, hitting the glass surface with a resounding crack before falling back to the table top from gravity's pull. Its large eyes, oddly disproportional to its brown hull body glittered in the weak sunlight, a myriad of colours shimmering in its unfocused glaze. Idly, a blonde woman whose hair fell about in a curtain of finely spun golden threads reached out a slender finger and prodded the tumbler. The beetle went rigid before hopping around on the spot as it tried to figure out what had caused the sudden air movement. The blonde pushed the glass tumbler forwards till the rim nudged against the captive beetle. The beetle took flight immediately, spreading open its translucent brown wings hidden beneath the protective outer shell. Angrily, it flew into the glass walls imprisoning it, bouncing around in the enclosed area. The furious buzz of its wings was inaudible even in the quiet room. A spark ignited in the blonde's burgundy eyes as she watched with mild interest at how the tiny insect fought to escape. Watching as it fought to be freed from what imprisons it, fighting so it could once again fly in the sky it so loves.

Fighting for freedom.

Then she realized that she was the one holding it back.

A pair of arms encircled her neck, pulling her into a tight embrace from behind. With a slight grunt, the blonde lifted her head up from her forearm it was resting on against the table. Wordlessly, she allowed the newcomer to hold her a little tighter. A voluptuous bosom pressing into her back as a pair of soft lips pressed against the nape of her neck in a gentle kiss. The blonde hummed contentedly at the contact, tilting her head to the side to expose more of her neck. Dark lashes fluttered as her wine red eyes shut out the last rays of sunlight. Her lips parted as she gasped softly in surprise when she felt two piercing points break through her skin. Wincing inwardly, she clamped her mouth shut as the pain intensified before fading off into a dull throb. Warmness glided across her broken skin, leaving wet trails in its wake as it moved in a circular pattern against her neck.

Cool air rushed into the room, throwing up the lacy curtains in its haste and rustling the several stacks of papers held down with stationary on her desk. The night breeze felt refreshingly cool against her flushed face, as the blonde snapped to attention from her former lying position on the oak round table. The spell broken, she glanced warily around her study, looking out for possible intruders. Her burgundy eyes inspected the familiar surroundings before falling upon the inverted glass tumbler before her. Shakily, she lifted the old fashioned glass and sat it on its proper side. Frowning, she leaned forward to inspect the unmoving dark speck on her table. Reaching for one of her pens, she used the tip of the stationary to prod the beetle lying on its back. It remained where it was, unmoving, dead. With a sigh, she pushed the dead insect onto a piece of paper and walked towards the opened window. Looking down sadly at the life that she had unintentionally taken, she tossed the dead insect two floors down into her miniature garden. The brown beetle fell amongst the dead plants, another organism about to go through the process of degradation.

It always turned out this way. Any living thing that she touches would die. Such was her cruel fate that she had countless times unintentionally taken the lives of others. Until one day, she found herself alone. Devoid of family, devoid of friends, slowly, she shut herself out from the rest of the world. Living within the confines of her own fate where she would no longer harm another.

Such was her destiny.

She is Fate.

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Author's Note: Yes, I know. I have a lot of author's notes… but I can't help it! If you have read my other fic, you would know that my stories are strictly M-rated. So, be warned. If you can't stand the nosebleeds, skip the naughty bits. Well, that's all for the prologue…do review so I would be encourage to post up chapter 1… :)

Cheers!


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. If I did, it wouldn't stop at StrikerS…

Author's Note: Well here it is. The official first chapter. Extremely cliché but its necessary… so do bear with me and don't give up on me yea…

Read & Review. But more importantly, Enjoy!

My Fate, Our Destiny

Chapter I

A cold wind picked up, whistling through the town and causing windbreakers to be pulled tighter as well as throwing up the occasional scarf. A white and blue knitted scarf flew up into the early winter night chill, fluttering as it was carried along by the wind. Down on the street, a brunette whipped her head around as the scarf flew upwards, stolen by the wind. With a soft cry, the brunette squeezed through the crowded streets, chasing the runaway scarf as it floated along a few feet above her. Ignoring the loud protests of "Hey!" and "Watch where you are going!" she shoved her way through the early Christmas shoppers, muttering "Excuse me" each time she accidentally trod on someone's foot. A group of tourists spilled out of one of the many clothing store lining the street, obstructing the brunette's path as she tried unsuccessfully to push past the excessively bundled up foreigners. A few of the young men cat-called out to her, blocking her path and speaking to her in a foreign language. The brunette kept shaking her head and pointing towards the rapidly disappearing scarf. One of the males laughed, a loud boisterous sound erupting from his deep chest as he reached out an opened palm to grope her firm behind.

A loud scream broke through the night, causing passer-bys to cast curious glances at the group of males in a loose semi-circle around a female brunette. The brunette raised up her right hand in anger, a quick swing of her arm causing the open palm to smack across the laughing male's left cheek. The sound of flesh against flesh rang out, forcing the rest of the group to stare at the brunette in surprise which quickly dissolved into anger. A sharp shove caused the brunette to find herself on the floor, with the man she had slapped for harassing her straddling her stomach as he pinned her down. Panic flashed in her eyes and she struggled violently, flailing her arms wildly. When that failed, she attempted to slap the male once more, only to have both wrists caught and pulled up above her head. By then, a crowd had gathered around them, drawn by the commotion like a moth to a flame. Curiosity was reflected in their eyes, yet none stepping forward to provide aid despite the urgency of the situation.

"Let's see what you can do now, sugar."

The male astride the brunette taunted, bending his head down towards her terrified face as he leered. Gripping both of her wrists in one hand, he reached out the other to touch her chest.

"Take your hands off her!"

A new voice spoke up.

Soft yet filled with authority, the meaning behind the words carried through the murmuring crowd with ease despite its volume. A blonde man pushed his way through the curious onlookers, stepping forward from the crowd. The wind picked up just then, ruffling long blond hair tied in a low ponytail. The newcomer pushed his frameless glasses up, emerald eyes flashing with righteous anger.

"Oh, lookie here. You have a nerdy boyfriend don't you?"

The male taunted yet again, flicking his head slightly to the left to toss back a few strands of sandy brown hair. His long fringe fell back across his eyes, unperturbed by the slight motion. His biceps flexed as he tightened his hold on the still struggling brunette, muscles twitching with each minute movement. In comparison, the blond man looked positively scrawny and malnourished with his tall and lean frame. Nevertheless, the blonde stood his ground, eyes blazing with barely restraint fury as he demanded the release if the woman.

"Let her go or I'll inform the authorities."

"Let's see you make me then."

The muscular male mocked, his free hand reaching out to gesture the blonde forward in a taunting manner by bending four of his fingers toward his palm repetitively. Around him, his friends laughed, grinning broadly as they cracked their knuckles in unison. The blond man inhaled deeply, bracing himself as he stepped forwards bravely with his fists clenched by his sides. Before he knew what hit him, he was lying flat on his back, the air in his lungs leaving sharply in a loud gasp of pain. Hazily, his eyes refocused on his surroundings. The well built male still had the woman pinned beneath him, still in his original position. Eyes flicking around, he caught sight of one of the grinning males pulling back a fist. The guy had hit him in the stomach while he was focused on the well-built male. Grunting in pain and trying to keep the contents in his stomach down, he tried get back on his feet, only to be knocked down once more. The brunette pleaded desperately, calling out for someone, anyone to help. Not surprisingly, the crowd stepped back as one, almost as if the group of people in the middle had some sort of contagious disease. The brunette squeezed her eyes shut as the man straddling her returned his attention to her. Grinning broadly, he reached towards her chest once again.

'_Help me!' _

The brunette screamed in her mind, heart wishing with all her might for someone to save her.

The violating hand never did reach her. Rather, she felt her wrists released and the heavy weight of the man lifting off her. Slowly, she opened her eyes, only to be greeted by the sight of long blond hair streaking past her field of vision. Relieved flooded her, somehow, the blond man had managed to turn the odds against him. At least until she noticed that said man was still on the ground, eyes wide in surprise as he took in what was happening around them.

'_If the blond man is still down…who is my saviour then?'_

The following few seconds sped by in a blur of sunlight yellow hair streaking around. The brunette squinted her eyes, trying to make out the blur of movements for a glimpse of her saviour's face. Yet all she could see was the trailing wisp of blond hair tied with a black ribbon. Within a blink of an eye, the whole fiasco was over. Groaning bodies littered the ground in heaps of blood and bruises. The men were beaten into an almost unrecognizable state by a blond in a black trench coat who now stood in the middle of the mess. Long blond hair was casually flipped back over a shoulder, each individual strand catching the artificial light from the row of fluorescent lamps lighting the street. The brunette pushed herself into a sitting position, eyes locked on the back of her saviour.

"Erm…Thank you…"

She stuttered out, still shocked by the sudden turn of events.

"You are welcome."

A husky voice replied her, its tone soft and gentle despite the pitch.

"Are you hurt?"

The blonde questioned, genuine concern reflected in the simple question yet still not turning around to face the brunette.

"No…"

The brunette replied hesitantly, moving her limbs just to make sure.

Apparently satisfied with the reply, the blonde started walking back into the mass of people obnoxiously discussing the turn of events. A hesitant voice called out, barely audible over the chattering crowd.

"Wait…I'm Nanoha. What is your name?"

Slowly, the blonde turned to regard her. All coherent thinking was lost when a pair of brilliant azure eyes grazed back, gratitude apparent yet with a hint of fear in those orbs.

"I am…Fate."

Pulling the trench coat tighter, the blonde turned back, departing through the throngs of people, the ends of the coat flapping around calves protected by knee high black leather boots.

Nanoha sat back on her heels, completely caught off guard when she met those burgundy eyes. The vivid wine red colour so brilliant yet there was just a tinge of sadness beneath the hardness of her eyes.

'_Wait..._**Her**_ eyes.'_

Her saviour was a woman, a breathtakingly beautiful one too. And she was walking away.

"Wait!"

Nanoha cried out desperately, willing her voice to reach the blond. Relief flooded through her when the blond paused.

"How…How can I thank you for saving me?"

She stuttered, overwhelmed by gratitude.

"It was my pleasure."

The blonde raised three fingers of her right hand in a wave, before pulling up her collar and disappearing into the darkness, without looking back.

The crowd dispersed now that the excitement was over. To them, this was better than the repetitive angst filled dramas on the local television networks.

"She just appeared out of thin air!"

"Man. That was one hot chick."

"That girl sure kicked some ass!"  
"I wonder where the camera is…this is just the kind of drama you will see on TV."

"She has such nice hair…I wish mine was as long as hers…"

"Damn. The video cam only caught a blur! I was so looking forward to uploading it on …"

"Nah…Someone will call the ambulance. We are gonna be late."

"That scrawny kid probably reads way too many comics. Shouldn't have tried to be a hero if he can't save his own ass."

"I wish I could have a girlfriend like that. Then again, I'd probably get trashed..."

Nanoha sighed inwardly at the snippets of conversation she had unintentionally overheard. The selfishness of individuals to not concern themselves with matters they are not directly involved in was appalling. Such callous behaviour was repulsive indeed. Nanoha pushed herself off the ground, brushing down her black denim skirt and matching panty hose before picking her way carefully towards the blond man who had tried to help her. Kneeling on the ground, she called out softly, sitting back in relieved when his eyes focused on her. She offered him an apologetic smile and patted him gently on the arm, pulling back when he winced. Nanoha dug through her clutch purse, pulling out a pink mobile phone which she flipped open with a flick of the wrist. Punching the numbers for an ambulance, she provided the necessary details distractedly, her mind constantly fixated on the mysterious blond woman who had just saved her from every female's worse nightmare.

---

'_That was stupid. Reckless and stupid.'_

Fate mentally chided herself.

'_What ever made me decide to save her?'_

'_It's a good thing that human beings are so wrapped up in their own little lives. So much so that even if I were to float about in midair, they would be cheering instead of freaking out.' _

Back in her sparsely decorated room, she paced from one end of the spacious area to the other, her mind vividly recalling the events of the evening that had transpired. With a loud sigh, she flopped down onto the soft mattress of the king-size bed, supporting her head with her folded arms. Staring up at the ceiling, she traced imaginary patterns into the off-white paint work, allowing her mind to drift. A face kept appearing in her mind's eye. Milky complexion, luscious lips with just a hint of pale red lipstick and those beautiful eyes which were like a part of the sky.

'_What did she say her name was?' _

"Nanaha."

"Nantoha."

"Nanaka."

"Na…ARGH!"

Fate sat up quickly, voicing her frustration in a growl.

Pulling her legs towards her, she sat cross legged Indian style in the middle of her bed, closing her eyes to aid her concentration as she meditated. Meditation has always had a calming effect on her as well as aiding her in looking at things from a different perspective. Across the room, an antique brass clock with a wide clock face ticked steadily, each click of its well oiled gears ringing out like gunshots in the dark room.

"Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick."

A muscle twitched in the blonde's clenched jaw.

"Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick."

A slight grinding of her jaws as she gritted her teeth.

"Tick. Tick. Ti…"

The clicks of the Victorian clock were drowned out by a feral snarl. The thick maroon comforter was flung back as Fate scampered beneath its warm sheets, pulling the fabric over her head. Fate inhaled deeply, breathing in the familiar scent of detergent as she willed herself to calm down. Curling herself into a tight ball, she pulled one of her many pillows to hug to her chest. For the first time in years, the bed felt too empty, almost foreign. Her eyelids fluttered shut, her mind already wandering off to a place where a certain blue eyed brunette was. As the last of her consciousness seeped away to the luring tranquillity of sleep, a single word escaped her lips before a contented smile formed on her features.

"Nanoha."

A light drizzle started outside, ice cold pinpricks of water hit the hard packed soil of the neglected garden plot. The tiny rain droplets staining the plum coloured bricks marking the perimeter of the garden a deep violet. The soil hungrily absorbed the life giving moisture, turning a deep shade of brown. In the very corner of the garden, partially hidden in a recess, a single leaf, lime green beneath the moonlight sprouted from the soil, poking through the dirt to welcome the first drops of rain.

---

The lock clicked as the bolt snapped back and a light push sent the wooden door swinging open. Pale white light from the street lamps stretched into the hallway, illuminating the squat wooden shoe cabinet on the left and the cheery red floor mat beneath the single step. A figure stepped into the path of the weak fluorescent glow, throwing a long shadow across the wooden parquet flooring. With an audible sigh, the figure stepped forward, its shadow dutifully leading the way. Darkness reigned again as the door was pushed shut, leaving only a faint glow from the gap beneath the door. Soft footsteps sounded almost like a stampede of elephants in the silent house as the figure moved forwards. Shoes were kicked off, landing with dull thuds. A moment of stillness before the figure bent over to arrange the discarded shoes and sat them properly by the step. A muted click and the ceiling lamps snapped on, a soft warm glow chasing the shadows to the far corners of the room.

Nanoha cast a weary glance at the empty floor mat then up at the wall clock hanging directly across the closed door. The minute hand ticked to a vertical position, pointing up towards the ceiling while the hour hand shifted a notch.

11 pm.

And no one else was home yet.

The brunette shrugged off her thick brown overcoat, hanging it up on one of the many pegs on the wall. Not bothering to switch on any more lights, she picked her way through the darkness, avoiding the scattered dark lumps of furniture before climbing the stairs. Her feet moved on auto-pilot, falling into a familiar pace as they traced a well memorized path towards her room. Closing the door behind her, she stumbled her way in the dark towards the direction she perceived her bed to be. Something caught her foot, causing her to pitch forwards before her feet regained footing. Casting an irritated glare at whatever it was that had tripped her; she kicked out her right foot out, sending a long piece of fabric into the air before her. With a sharp gasp, she fumbled to catch the falling fabric, the material oddly familiar to her touch. Hastily, she scrambled towards her bedside table, stubbing her toe in her haste to flip on the bedside lamp. Confusion filled her as she dropped her gaze to the fabric in her hands. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she idly twirled the long fabric in her hands, scrutinizing the pattern of white and blue yarn.

'_It can't be…' _

Her azure eyes flicked to the windows, the curtains hanging still and not dancing in the wind as expected with open windows. Suddenly, her sanctuary did not seem as safe as before. With the faint light from her bedside lamp, she tried to see into the far corners of her room, blinking rapidly to aid her eyes in adjusting to the dimness. Cautiously, she called out softly, voice breaking slightly from her nervousness.

"H...Hello?"

"Anybody here?"

She tried again, summoning bravado into her voice as she called out louder.

The whistling of the wind against her closed windows answered her. Nanoha strained her ears to pick out any sound which seemed out of place. The steady dripping of the bathroom faucet and the occasional scraping of the tree branch against the house accompanied the howling wind outside. Nothing seemed out of placed, saved for her runaway scarf which had somehow found its way into an enclosed area. She slid across her single bed, pressing her back against the wall and drawing her knees to her chest. In that position, she fumbled for her mobile phone, flipping it open to dial a well memorized number. The line rang once, twice, three times before it was answered by a deep male voice.

"Hello?"

"Onii-san…can you hurry home? I'm scared."

"Just turn on some lights. Nothing can harm you in the house."

"But…it doesn't help in the least…"

"It'll have to do for now, Nanoha. We are facing a late night crowd here. Or perhaps you could come over?"

The earlier events of the night flashed through her mind. Shuddering inwardly, she came to the quick conclusion that she would probably be safer in the house.

"Erm…I don't think that's a good idea…I'll stay at home…hurry back 'kay?"

She got an answering hum before the line cut off.

With another sigh, she flopped on to her side, curling up into a tight ball on her cold sheets. She could not remember much about her childhood, but she had grown up in a close knitted family. At times though, she could not help but feel that it was so surreal. Almost as if she was watching herself going through the daily family routine without actually experiencing it first hand. Her parents were hopeless romantics even though they have been married for almost thirty years so much so that they still act like newlyweds. Her older siblings were extremely close, not just as siblings but as master and disciple. Her older brother, Kyoya inherited the family dojo from her father and trains young students during the weekends. Her older sister, Miyuki teaches alongside Kyoya and the two run the family dojo together while helping out at their father's café, Midori-ya during the evenings.

'_Takamachi Nanoha. 19 years old, a college student who spends most of her evenings helping out at her father's café and is set to inherit said café after she finishes her studies. No true direction in life, no dreams to be realized. Child of Shiro and Momoko and the youngest of three siblings with an older brother; Kyoya and an older sister; Miyuki. Feels like a third-wheel in the family as well as in her group of close friends.'_

"Sometimes I really wonder if I was an 'accident'."

Nanoha reflected on her life, her eyes staring unseeingly up at the ceiling as she tried not to fall into the pits of self pity. Her thoughts returned to the woman with the lovely wine red eyes. Pondering long and hard, she failed to fathom what made her so attracted to the blond.

"Her eyes…looked so sad and lonely…"

Realization struck her then.

Loneliness.

It was almost as if she was looking at a reflection of herself.

Author's Note: It's necessary…I swear!

A big thank you to BPHaru and Heart-san for reviewing. You have no idea how much it means to me. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside whenever I see reviews…

Keep reviewing! Its food for a writer's soul!


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own MGLN…

Author's Note: Firstly, I would like to thank all of you reviewers. You have no idea of the sort of joy that fills my heart whenever I login to my email to see review alerts. (Cliché line…I know…) A big thank you to my beta code named corn 2, thanks for reading through my crap and encouraging me even when we are both aware that I'm literally spewing garbage and recycling ideas in this story.

I have enabled the anonymous reviews function. I hope it wouldn't be abused otherwise I would have to disable it…

With that, Read, Review and Enjoy!

* * *

My Fate, Our Destiny

Chapter II

A soft rap sounded on the beige door before a muffled reply bade entrance to the visitor. The door slid opened, revealing a nervous Nanoha on the other side. She offered a weak smile before slipping into the hospital ward, sliding the door to behind her. Her eyes glanced around the sparsely furnished room, taking in the monotonous choice of paintwork on the walls. How could the interior designer think that such bland colours could help patients to recover faster was beyond her. Hesitantly, she walked towards the reclining bed in the center of the room, blanching slightly when she noticed the many bruises discolouring the blond male's fair skin.

"Erm…hey…how are you feeling?"

"Like an under-stuffed punching bag."

The blond replied, smiling slightly to ease her nervousness.

Nanoha smiled back shyly in return before hastening to bow.

"My name is Takamachi Nanoha! Thank you for your help yesterday!"

The words rushed out of her mouth as she blushed.

"Ah…haha…I wasn't of much help…Ah! How rude of me. I am Yuuno Scrya. It is a pleasure to meet you Nanoha-san. And I'm sorry I couldn't help much yesterday."

Nanoha waved the apology off, shaking her head in disagreement.

"Thank you for standing up for me though…"

"You are welcome. Say, did you find out the identity of that mysterious blond woman?"

Nanoha's eyes studied the white tiled floor, shaking her head from side to side.

"Unfortunately, no. I wish I could thank her properly…"

"Oh. That's too bad then. I'm sure you might meet her again in future. You never know what fate has in store."

"Yea…she gave me a cryptic answer when I asked for her name…Oh! I brought you something."

Hastily, Nanoha changed the subject as she removed a cloth wrapped package with a flourish.

"Here you go! Nanoha's special get-well-soon bento!"

Carefully, she placed the package on the meal tray and pushed the table towards the blond.

"Ah…you shouldn't have. Thank you, Nanoha-san."

"I feel guilty that you have to be hospitalized because of me…and drop the –san, Yuuno-kun."

Nanoha smiled encouragingly as she untied the pale blue cloth to reveal a rectangular black bento box.

"Right. Thank you, Nanoha…"

Carefully, he removed the lid and stared at the contents in amazement.

"Wow. This looks fantastic! You have no idea about the state of hospital food here. I'll be helping myself then. Itadakimasu!"

With his chopsticks, Yuuno picked up one of the carefully wrapped egg roll slices tied with a thin strand of carrot and bit down on it. He relished the taste for a few seconds with a couple of contented hums before starting on another piece.

Nanoha watched as the blond ate heartily before moving to sit in the pink plastic chair by his bed. Picking up an outdated magazine issue, she idly flipped through the glossy pages, the images not registering in her mind as her thoughts went back to the mysterious blond woman. She was interrupted by Yuuno's voice as he asked a question.

"Say, we are of about the same age aren't we?"

"Hmm? Oh, I'm 19 years old, final year student of Uminari University. What about you?"

"That's a coincidence. I'm of the same age, final year student of Uminari University too. I'm majoring in world history and archaeology."

"That's a coincidence indeed. I've never seen you on campus before…then again, I'm in the business department taking business management."

"Business eh. I'm not that great with numbers. Hey, perhaps we can meet up on campus some time."

"Yeah! That would be great! I could introduce you to my best friends! Nyahaha"

"That's an idea! Maybe we can search for that mysterious blond woman too. She looks to be of the same age as us…maybe she's enrolled in the same campus."

"Yeah…maybe…"

Nanoha trailed off, lost again in her thoughts until the clattering of plastic ware brought her out of her reverie and she hastened to help Yuuno clean up.

The two new friends spent most of visiting hours simply sharing information about each other until the duty nurse came in to reprimand them for the excessive noise they were causing from laughing at each other's jokes.

---

The sun was making its way down. The final burst of orange light lighting up the rapidly darkening sky. The orange tint reflected off the wrought brass railings of a second floor balcony of a modest two storey tall house. The light from the setting sun causing the white painted walls to glow a pale orange. Despite the abandoned feel of the house, no vines could be seen crawling up the sides of the building. The garden was the epitome of neglect with decaying skeletons of what was once a rose garden which had underwent years of degradation.

A red light flashed repeatedly on the complex console box accompanied by a soft beeping. Burgundy eyes snapped opened, the unfocused haze clearing immediately as the blond threw herself off her bed and rushed towards the console sitting on a wide oak desk on the other side of the room in a flash. A slender finger reached out to depress one of the many buttons and caused the red LED to stop flashing. Fate reached up to the scythe displayed on the wall before her, gripping the handle as she lifted the weapon off easily. The weak sun rays peeked in through the flimsy curtains, glinting off the polished handle and the sharp, curved blade of the scythe and the words inscribed in gold at the end of the handle.

'_Bardiche - Scythe'_

Her grip tightened on the cool titanium shaft of the two-meter long scythe and with the familiar weight of the weapon in her hand, Fate stepped silently to the closed door, straining her ears to pick up any foreign sounds. Hearing silence, Fate twisted the brass door knob, grateful that she had made it a point to oil it monthly. Pressing her back into the wall by the door, she flung the wooden door opened, glancing quickly into the dark hallway that was revealed. With visual confirmation that the hallway was indeed empty, Fate slipped silently from her room, keeping her back against the white washed walls as she crept towards the stairs. Her eyes flicked around the dark stairwell, paying extra attention to the dark shadows for any signs of movements. Satisfied, she hastened down the stairs, her footsteps hardly making a sound against the thick grey carpet. Her intuition screamed at her as she stood hidden behind the opened sliding door leading to the living room. Warning bells setting off in her head caused her to clench her fist around the shaft of the iridium-titanium curved blade in a white knuckled grip. Calming her mind, Fate spun from her hiding place and into the room, raising the yellow tinted blade up in an arc. The pointed tip stopping mere millimetres away from the throat of a tall, voluptuous female with long wavy dark hair spilling around her shoulders leaning against the wall with her arms crossed against her chest.

"Who are you?"

Fate demanded calmly, her right arm extended to hold her weapon before the intruder.

"Is that how you welcome a guest?"

The woman replied, turning her head slightly to regard Fate with one piercing purplish eye, the other obscured by her long fringe.

"A guest would ring the doorbell and wait for the mistress of the house to bid them welcome. Something we both know you did not do."

"A good point you have there, Fate. Though I doubt my actions would warrant a blade at my neck."

Fate lowered her scythe, still warily about the woman leaning against her wall.

"Thank you. I am Precia Testarossa. I trust you know of the name?"

"Unfortunately, I do. Though that doesn't tell me why you are in my living room."

The woman's smile broadened at Fate's reply.

"How unfortunate indeed, Fate Testarossa. Have you forgotten about your past?"

Fate blinked, confusion momentarily clouding her thinking before she replied coolly.

"My name is Fate Harlaown."

Precia laughed.

The strange guffaw bursting forth from her chest as she laughed manically. As suddenly as it started, the maniacal laughter stopped abruptly.

"Save your questions for Lindy Harlaown, child. You will discover the truth soon enough."

With that statement, Precia swept past the confused Fate with a swish of purple robes. Moments later, the front door clicked shut and Fate was left alone in the living room with her thoughts.

Shaking her head slightly, Fate snapped out of her reverie.

'_Was it all a dream?'_

Feeling the weight of Bardiche, Fate eliminated the possibility that she had dreamt up the entire encounter. Stiffly, she walked towards front door, listening closely for any signs of intrusion though she was sure there were no longer any surprises. Stopping before the deep brown coloured oak door, she examined the lock closely. There were no signs of foul play. Still, she flipped the lock back in place and further secured the entrance with the latch. She glanced briefly at the pale grey metal box attached to the wall by the door, considering her options. The metal lid was pulled opened to reveal a lighted red LED and a black button. Fate depressed the button with a muted click, causing the green LED to light up while the red light blinked off. Her customized burglar alarm system now in place, Fate headed back up the stairs to her room. With a polishing cloth in hand, Fate lovingly wiped down her scythe, turning it in the evening sunlight from the window to check for missed smears from fingerprints. Giving the gleaming blade a hearty dose of lubricant from the anti-rust spray, Fate nodded in satisfaction and leaned over her desk to replace the weapon on its holding pegs carefully. With the maintenance of her beloved weapon out of the way, Fate flopped into her leather chair, leaning back as she lazily poked the computer mouse to bring her laptop out of its power-saving sleep mode. Opening an internet browser, she tapped her fingers impatiently against the solid oak table, drumming out a rhythm as she waited for the page to load. It did not take longer before she was gritting her teeth in frustration at the lack of hits generated by her search engine. Giving up on the usually reliable internet, she grabbed her black and yellow cell phone from its charging socket and flipped the glossy black screen open. Scrolling down the list of contacts, she selected the one she was searching for and dialled. Fingers once again impatiently drummed out a fast rhythm as she waited for the line to be picked up. An answering clicked stopped the ringing dial tone and Fate spoke quickly, not giving the other party a chance to respond.

"Chrono, it's me. I need you to dig up some files for me."

"Hello to you too, Fate. What do you need?"

A deep male voice replied, amusement apparent in his tone.

"Testarossa. Everything you can find on a Precia Testarossa."

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Chrono? Are you there?"

"Yea, sorry. What's the situation?"

Chrono replied, his amused tone now replaced by a guarded one which a preoccupied Fate did not notice.

"Some woman by the name of Precia Testarossa confronted me earlier. Locks were all intact, no signs of a forced entry."

"Sounds like you to not lock your doors."

"She bypassed the magic field, Chrono."

Silence once again from the other end of the line. This time, Fate was losing her patience.

"Chrono…"

"Yea, I'm here. I think you better come down, Fate."

"Right. Same time?"

"Yea. Be careful."

"Always. Onii-san?"

"Yes?"

"There's something I'm missing out on, isn't there?"

"I'll see you later."

Chrono evaded the question and hung up.

Fate flipped her phone shut and mulled over his words. She could not help but feel that he was hiding something from her. The feeling of being left in the dark was unnerving. Pushing her thoughts on the matter aside, she grabbed a towel from her wardrobe and made for her training room next door where she poured all her frustrations into the sand filled black punching bag in the form of precise punches and kicks.

---

"Ah! Arisa-chan! Suzuka-chan!"

Nanoha waved happily as she caught sight of her childhood friends standing by the door. The cold wind from outside stirred the crystal wind chime hanging above the glass panelled door of the Midori-ya café, the clear twinkling of glass resounding clearly despite the chatter of patrons in the shop. Two women, both with long hair falling past their waist waved back. The woman with the waist length long blond hair leading the way as she made towards the waving brunette. The other woman with lavender hair smiled benignly, a sharp contrast to her rather crass partner who had shouted a greeting across the shop. Nanoha met them halfway and led them to a secluded booth near the kitchen before handing them both a menu. The irritated glares from the other patrons at the commotion ceased as they went back to the delicious dishes before them. The wooden swing doors swung open as a tall dark hair man stepped out from the kitchen, followed closely by the aromatic aroma of food wafting into the café.

"Ah! If it isn't Arisa-chan and Suzuka-chan! Order whatever you like, it's on the house!"

Shiro called out cheerfully, flashing a bright smile at them before sweeping past the booth with a tray laden with steaming dishes.

"I don't care what you or your father says, Nanoha-chan. But we will be paying."

Arisa stated matter-of-factly.

"Mou, Arisa-chan… Just accept our hospitality…"

Suzuka smiled at her friend's reply and jumped in before Arisa could argue her point.

"In that case, thank you Nanoha-chan!"

She was rewarded with a mega-watt beam as the brunette cheerfully whipped out an order pad from her apron's front pocket. Beside her, Arisa smacked her head into her palm in exasperation. Moments later, the brunette left the booth, her black ball point pen tapping against the order pad to ensure she had written down everything. With her back turned, she failed to see the glare the blond shot at her companion.

"Why did you have to agree, Suzuka-chan?"

"Well…it would be rude to refuse."

Her dark haired companion replied with a gentle smile.

"Tch. It's like this every time we come here. And it's not as if we couldn't afford it."

Arisa ranted on.

"Oh, that's not all we will be ordering tonight."

Suzuka winked. It was an extremely uncharacteristic gesture for the usually composed woman.

Arisa gave her a baffled look in return and went back to brooding while they waited for their orders. Her moods were instantly lifted when the alluring aroma of pasta and baked rice preceded Nanoha exiting from the kitchen with a tray of food.

"Your orders, ma'am"

The brunette announced in jest as she placed the steaming dishes on the red and white checked table top. Her dark haired father appeared by her side to place two china plates each holding a slice of multi-layered chocolate with frosting and topped with a rosy cherry on cream on the table.

"Ah, Shiro-san! We didn't order those…"

"On the house."

Shiro waved off any further protests from Suzuka while Arisa simply stared at the cake with longing.

"Nanoha, take a break once their orders are out. Spend some time with your friends."

Shiro patted Nanoha on the head before heading back towards the kitchen.

"But, it's peak hours now…I should help…"

The brunette trailed after her father, leaving the swinging doors to swing shut behind their backs. Seconds later, the brunette reappeared. The apron hanging around her neck now gone and in her hands was a plate of fish and chips. Grumbling slightly, Nanoha slid into the booth, as Suzuka shifted in.

"Honestly, can't they just let me help out? If I'm going to be taking over the business, I can't possibly be slacking off each time my friends come over."

"Think of it as entertaining potential clients."

"Huh?"

Nanoha blinked in confusion at Suzuka's statement.

Across from her, Arisa chewed on her chicken and mushroom cheese baked rice thoughtfully. Her eyes sparkled in mischief when she figured out Suzuka's plan.

"Erm…I don't get it?"

"You'll see."

Arisa and Suzuka replied in unison.

Nanoha was about to question them about the vague replies when the crystalline chime alerted her to a customer. Instinctively, she turned towards the door, her body already moving on its own accord to greet the potential customer as she slid halfway out of the booth. The door swung opened and a figure stepped in, pausing momentarily at the door way before the audible protests against the chilly wind convinced the newcomer to let the door swing shut. With the wind blocked out, fine strands of silky golden hair floated gently down with the aid of gravity. Nanoha's eyes grew wider as she took in the blond woman. Fitting black jeans disappeared into the tops of knee high black leather boots. A yellow round collared shirt was visible beneath a hooded black jacket with yellowish faux fur around the hood currently pushed back. A fluffy yellow cotton scarf wrapped around the blonde's neck completed the attire.

"It's…Fate…"

Nanoha whispered in surprise.

"What's fated?"

Arisa questioned as she looked back and forth between her brunette best friend and the new comer who was sceptically eyeing the cake display case. A few seconds ticked by and there was still no answer from the brunette. Focusing on the brunette, Arisa cocked her head slightly, contemplating if she should smack the brunette on the head to snap her out of her reverie. Almost as if Suzuka could read her mind, the dark hair woman shook her head slightly from side to side, a small smile playing on her lips. The two friends watched as the brunette jerked herself back to reality.

"Welcome back to the real world, Nanoha-chan."

An amused smile spread across Arisa's features.

"Eh? Erm…excuse me…"

Nanoha mumbled distractedly as she slid the rest of the way out of the booth and stumbled slightly towards the front of the shop before steadying herself against the back of someone's chair.

"W-welcome to Midori-ya café! How may I be of service?"

She stuttered out the standard greeting.

The blond turned at the sound of her voice, burgundy eyes locking on her own azure orbs. A flicker of recognition flashed briefly in those deep wine red eyes before a gentle smile spread across the blonde's features.

"You were the one from yesterday."

The blonde stated.

"Y-y-yes! I'm Takamachi Nanoha! How may I be of service?"

Nanoha stammered.

"Service? Could you get me a member of the staff then?"

The blonde replied, slightly puzzled.

"Huh? I _am_ a member of the staff…"

Nanoha replied in confusion. It was not until the blonde raised a quizzical eyebrow that Nanoha looked down at her attire.

"My apron!"

The chestnut haired woman squeaked out before making a mad dash behind the counter and hastily putting on her staff apron.

The blonde simply gave her a look of amusement before quirking up her eyebrow.

"Is that even yours?"

She deadpanned.

"Wha-what? Of course, it is!"

Nanoha replied in a fluster, waving her arms slightly in agitation.

A light chuckle came to her ears then and she shot the blond a glare.

"Mou…you were teasing me…"

"Sorry. What do you recommend?"

The blond changed the subject, leaning casually against the display case.

"The black forest cake. It's our speciality."

Nanoha replied automatically.

Her left hand gestured at a two-layered cake with its sides coated generously with chocolate shavings and decorated with cream and cherries. The blond tapped her chin thoughtfully before replying with a smile.

"I'll take it."

"Give me a moment and I'll have it boxed up."

Nanoha turned to the huge storage refrigerator behind her, only to be blocked by none other than her father.

"You are supposed to be on break."

Shiro playfully accused as he tapped his index finger on her head.

"Papa! At least let me finish her order first…"

Nanoha pouted slightly.

Shiro's eyes flicked to regard the blond woman flipping idly through the menu placed on the counter top.

"Hmm…she looks familiar. Friend of yours?"

"I met her yesterday…"

Nanoha trailed off, as she once again recalled the events of the night before.

"Oh well. Go back to your friends and finish your dinner when you are done then."

Shiro patted her affectionately on the head before heading back the kitchen.

Nanoha carefully slid the ordered cake from the refrigerator and placed it carefully into the carrier box. Expertly, her hands folded the many cardboard tabs and turned it into a carrier case with a handle in mere seconds. With a bright smile, she turned back to face the blonde and handed the case over the counter. Her fingers lightly brushed against the back of the blonde's outstretch hand, the light contact fired up her nerves as a tingle shot through her. Nanoha blinked in surprise, across from her, the blonde did not seem to have noticed the static exchange.

"Hey…I didn't catch your name back then…"

Nanoha started as she counted out the blonde's change.

"It's Fate."

"Huh?"

"My name. It's Fate."

Nanoha wanted to bury her head in the ground right there. She had thought the blond was referring to their chance meeting all along.

"Mm. Fate-chan, it is then."

Nanoha declared proudly, nodding her head in satisfaction. Glancing shyly at the stunning blonde, she once again received an amused smile.

'_Gosh. I love her smile…'_

Fate accepted her change in silence as her other hand picked up the cake case. With a slight nod and another smile, she turned to leave.

"Bye then. I'm glad you are alright, Nanoha."

'_I wish I could see more of her smiles.'_

'_No, I wish I am the reason she smiles…'_

The twinkling of the wind chimes as the wind sneaked in through the opened door snapped her out from her thoughts. The dark figure on the other side trudged off against the wind and was soon swallowed by the darkness.

Nanoha literally drifted back to the booth in her dreamlike state.

Completely oblivious to the sly looks her best friends exchanged.

---

"Fate…"

An older woman with light green hair reached out and pulled the blonde in a tight hug. The two women stood just inside the doorway of a sprawling mansion. Behind them a slender man descended the wide marble staircase and strode briskly towards them. The women pulled apart, the older one smiling gently down at the blonde as she offered a cake case.

"I brought something, mother."

"There was no need to, Fate. I'm glad to see you."

Nonetheless, the older woman accepted the proffered case and gestured the blonde in. The man who had been observing silently stepped forward to intercept the blonde.

"Fate. Welcome home."

"Chrono…"

The two shared a brief hug before Chrono pulled back to smile down proudly at the shorter blonde.

"Come now, let's head to the living room."

Lindy guided them towards the right of the marble staircase before disappearing down the hallway towards the kitchen. She returned seconds later with three sets of china plates, cups and cutlery, a teapot, a milk saucer and a container of sugar cubes on a round tray. She sat them down on the round glass coffee table before perching at the edge of the brown leather sofa to pour the tea. Beside her, Fate sliced the cake evenly and served them on the china plates. Moments later, all three were reclining on the comfortable sofas with a slice of cake in hand.

"Mmmm…This is good…"

Lindy proclaimed before setting down her plate on the coffee table in favour of preparing her tea. The tiny milk saucer was picked up delicately and its contents poured into the hot cup of green tea. White swirls of milk blended into the greenish hue of tea before two sugar cubes were dropped in with an inaudible splash. Carefully, Lindy stirred the odd mixture and inhaled the soothing aroma, sighing out in contentment.

"I can never figure out why she drinks green tea that way…"

Chrono muttered under his breath.

Across from him, Fate smiled a knowing smile as she cut off a bite sized piece of cake.

"So, what brings you here this chilly night, Fate?"

"Precia Testarossa."

Fate replied, watching as Lindy paused mid-sip.

"I haven't heard that name for years…"

* * *

Author's Note: Well, I'm sure it's pretty apparent that I'm trying to keep up the suspense… but I will clear it up soon enough. And hopefully, it would be worth the wait. I haven't actually started on analysing the characters as yet. So do forgive me if they may seem rather out of character… oh, I prefer to write at least a chapter ahead. So do bear with me when it takes an extremely long while for the next chapter to be put up. My apologies!

In reply to…

Heart-san: Wow…you left a review 20 minutes after I uploaded that chapter… seems like I have to release longer chapters…

BPHaru: Aww…stop inflating my ego…its gonna burst soon at this rate… unfortunately, no. I'm not a professional writer but I'm working on it :) And thank you for the tips! I'll keep them in mind.

Advent000: Thanks! Keep reading!

Shichu: You are sharp… though I intend to leave you in suspense for a little longer. Bear with me.

hazumu-kun: I'm truly honoured. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Me: Thank you for leaving a review. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Shy-Rainbow: Thank you! I sincerely hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own MGLN.

Author's Notes: Huge chunks of text in italics are flashbacks. Sentences found in _'insert words here' _are thoughts. I hope its not too confusing.

Read, Review, Enjoy.

Cheers

Two shadows darted into a dark alleyway. The faint light from the nearest street lamp a good five meters away, elongated the shadows to thin parallel lines of black before the darkness swallowed them. Two girls, aged no more that nine years old literally flew through the garbage strewn passage, their hands joined in intertwined fingers. Together, they dashed deeper into the depths of the side streets, leaping over any obstacles in their way that would cause an adult to falter. The pair made a sharp right turn down a narrower passage, slipping easily into the embracing blanket of darkness.

**My Fate, Our Destiny**

**Chapter 3**

_My feet pumped furiously, propelling my lithe body forwards in fluid motions. Racing down the dark alley, I did not slow down as I made the ninety degree right turn into another alleyway and deeper into the maze of side streets. Steadily, I inhaled through my nose, drawing in the dank musky stench of decomposing garbage in bags of various shapes and sizes lining the alleyway. My feet barely touched the wet ground before they were lifted up again. I felt a gentle squeeze against my right hand and instinctively turned my head slightly to meet the fearful gaze of my companion. I gave her a reassuring squeeze in return, effectively lifting her fears. _

_Her beautiful azure eyes which were always so full of life were now filled with fear. _

_I hate myself for dragging her into this mess. _

_Most of all, it would kill me should I lose her. _

_Spotting a partially hidden metallic door ahead, I willed myself to speed up more. Reaching out my free hand, I twisted the cool metal knob and pushed the door inwards, dragging my companion in behind me and pushing the door shut. Glancing around, I spotted a discarded wooden plank by the closed door and picked it up to jam the knob. Satisfied, I turned to take in the enclosed area. A metal staircase climbed up the narrow passage. Not hesitating, I pulled my companion along and we ascended the stairs into a windowless room. Even in the dark, I could see my surroundings perfectly. My eyes darted around the bare room, noting piles of old blankets in the far corner and several discarded food packages littered around the cramped room. _

"_Nanoha."_

_I murmured in the darkness. _

_Her beautiful blue eyes met mine in the dark, holding my gaze as she called out softly._

"_Fate…" _

"_I'm sorry, Nanoha…I promise, I will find you…"_

_The girl with the azure eyes, Nanoha; simply nodded in understanding._

_Fate stepped towards her, reaching out both hands to caress the shorter girl's cheeks. Carefully, Fate leaned forwards, pressing her lips gently on the brunette's forehead. Nanoha simply closed her eyes at the contact, her lips pulled up in a sad smile. A faint yellow glow emitted from the blonde's palms lit up the room momentarily before a bigger circle of yellow scrawling spanned out beneath the two girl's feet. The double lines of the circle revolved slowly in opposite directions, the glow almost blinding in the confined room. The light intensity gradually increased and in a sudden burst of light, it faded out completely. _

_And Fate was left standing alone in the barren room._

"_Be safe, Nanoha…"_

_Turning swiftly, she darted through the door and down the stairs without a sound. The wooden plank was propped against the wall and she was out in the alley way once more. A shadow darted before her immediately with the slight rustle of fabric. _

"_You cannot run, child."_

_A singsong voice called out mockingly._

"_Whatever gave you the impression that I'm running?"_

_Fate replied coolly. _

"_Enough with the chit chat, Fate. We're leaving. Alicia is waiting for our return."_

_A glowing pink circle flickered to life, its circumference increasing as it grew beneath their feet. The unnatural lighting lit up the immediate vicinity, casting a soft glow against a pale face framed by long dark hair. The long fringe obscuring the woman's left eye. In the light, her amethyst iris appeared ruby red. _

"_I refuse."_

_Fate spoke softly, almost inaudible despite the still surroundings._

_Amethyst orbs focused on her through the curtain of hair._

"_I'm sorry, I couldn't quite catch that."_

_Fate simply repeated her words, though she was well aware that the other woman heard her the first time round._

"_I refused."_

_She said with finality. _

"_You are not in a position to refuse, child. It is your fate. Oh the irony."_

_The woman chuckled._

_Fate narrowed her eyes slightly at the comment._

"_I'm not leaving with you okaa-san. Alicia will understand."_

_Raw energy burst forth from the woman in purple robes. The glowing purplish-pink circle increased in intensity as her eyes narrowed to slits._

"_Have you ever wondered why you were named Fate? It's for this day, so you will never forget your place."_

_The woman sneered, her lips curling up mockingly._

"_You never let me forget even for a second, Precia."_

_Cement cracked, the ground trembling slightly in what could have passed for an earthquake. _

"_Precia!"_

_A sultry voice chided from the darkness._

_The owner of the voice stepped into the glow of the magical light. _

_Sea green hair was pulled up into a high pony tail with long fringe framing a heart-shaped face. _

"_Tch. Typical of you to interrupt as always, Lindy."_

"_I can't simply stand by and watch as you destroy this young lady here, Precia."_

"_What I do with my daughter is not your concern."_

"_It is when it affects the rest of us."_

_The two older women stood at a stand off. Amethyst eyes met emerald in a hard glare._

_The corner of a lip twitch slightly before a smirk formed on the features of Precia._

_The glowing circle beneath her feet started to diminish, the energy rechannelled to her opened right palm in a crackling pinkish sphere of energy. The smirk grew wider, marring her beautiful features. _

_Burgundy eyes widened in surprise._

_Dark pupils narrowed into pinpricks._

_A pinkish sphere of light reflected in constricted pupils grew larger. _

_The pinkish glow illuminated the young girl, causing her long golden locks to shimmer beneath the intensity._

_The ball of raw energy hit her square in the face before she could process the imminent danger._

_Fate's eyelids fluttered close._

_The darkness swallowed her._

---

"Why is it that I don't remember a thing about that?"

Fate questioned.

Lindy sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose in an attempt to ease the throbbing headache building up.

"Precia probably put a memory seal on you. At least that's what I think she did."

"What is it that she wants to hide then?"

"I'm sorry, Fate. But that is something only Precia, Alicia and yourself would know."

"Alicia is Precia's daughter? Alicia Testarossa?"

"Yes. Alicia Testarossa. Your older twin sister. No one has seen her around in the past 10 years."

Lindy gently massaged her temple with her thumbs, applying pressure in a circular motion.

Fate quirked an eyebrow, wordlessly prompting the continuation of the past.

"Investigations have shown that Alicia Testarossa was time sealed. Possibly on the same night that your memories were sealed as well."

Chrono interrupted.

For the past 10 minutes, he had sat with his legs crossed as he leaned back into the cushy sofa, simply listening as Lindy retold a past memory.

"Okay…I don't get it but is there any chance that you could lift the memory seal?"

Fate returned her attention to Lindy, meeting her emerald gaze.

"Yes. The probability of that is extremely high."

"Can you do it? Now?"

"Any time, Fate. But are you ready to face your past?"

At that, Fate fell silent as she mulled over the possible consequences.

'_Surely it can't be that bad. In all my years, I have already witness so much. What could be worse?'_

'_I have killed, taken lives some of which are innocent. I have plundered and murdered. After everything that I have done, I would definitely have a permanent place in hell.'_

'_What more do I have to lose?'_

Chrono watched with concern at the stoic expression on Fate's features. He knew she was weighing out her options. After all, they have known each other for years.

'_The very person you tried to protect with your lost memories.'_

A little voice spoke up from the back of her mind.

"I am ready."

She stated calmly.

'_How can I protect someone whom I don't even remember?' _

---

A half drunk tea cup was replaced on its saucer with a soft clink of china ware.

Lime green light burst forth from Lindy's fingertips. The five threads of energy merging into a sphere which crackled occasionally from the intensity. The sphere grew bigger as Lindy squeezed her eyes shut in concentration. Two orbiting circles with scrawling inscribed within sprang to life beneath Fate who was still seated.

Fate's eyelids fluttered closed as she leaned back into the cushioned back rest of the brown leather sofa.

"Ready?"

Lindy spoke softly.

"Whenever you are."

Fate replied.

The lime green sphere broke away from the invisible hold of Lindy's palm and drifted steadily towards Fate's head. At the same moment, a barrier formed around the blond, encasing her in a hemisphere of glowing green waves of light cascading downwards into the magic circle. The concentrated sphere of energy fused into the barrier and obscured the blond woman in a dazzling burst of green light.

Chrono averted his gaze quickly to prevent himself from being stunned by the bright intensity.

The barrier throbbed with the huge amount of energy trapped within. The barrier shell pulsating in a steady rhythm causing its greenish hue to fade then redoubled in intensity.

"It's up to her now…"

Lindy's tensed shoulders visibly relaxed and her eyelids fluttered open to reveal emerald orbs hazed with fatigue. She reached out a shaky hand to pick up her tea cup and lifted it to her lips. With a slight frown, she replaced the cup now containing cold tea.

---

_She was sitting astride a tree branch, looking down at the girl with the chestnut hair and clear blue eyes gazing into her own. Standing carefully, Fate leapt down two meters and landed on her feet. The soft grass made a faint rustle as the brunette stepped towards her, reaching out to hold her hand. The wind picked up just then, creasing the white with black lined fabric in gentle waves and tossing twin pig-tailed chestnut hair into the air. _

That scene faded into black.

_She was standing on a bridge, looking out at the clear blue water stretching far beyond. It felt as if she was waiting for something to happen or for someone. The loneliness was unnerving as she stood alone. A gentle breeze lifted her twin-pigtails. The golden strands of hair floating gently in the wind with the ends of her black hair tie. Her heart started pounding for reasons that she could not fathom. Her attention was drawn to her left as her heart literally screamed for her to turn her head. She shifted her position and saw in the distance, that familiar shade of brown bobbing towards her. Soon, the brown hair was joined by clear azure eyes and gentle features. Moments later, a girl in a white with black trimmed uniform raced towards her. She could fill the sides of her lips twitching up into a smile. And she was rewarded with a dazzling one from the brunette who now stood before her._

Before she could see what happened next, that scene too faded off into nothingness.

_The wind was pressing gently into her back. Her hair was drifting in the wind before her. But she did not feel the chill of the breeze. In her arms, she held the most beautiful angel. The warmth from the shorter girl flooded her body. A warm fuzzy feeling built up within her heart as the girl called out her name. Her eyes fluttered closed in contentment. She never wanted this moment to end._

Her mind roared in fury when the warmth disappeared.

Only to be replaced by the cold tendrils of loneliness engulfing her very soul.

_Azure eyes filled with gentleness gazing into hers._

_The soothing caress of the girl's fingertips against her forearm._

_The comforting scent of soft chestnut hair filling her nostrils._

_The silky threads of brown hair as she threaded her fingers through the strands._

_The soft warmness in her arms as she held the other girl tight._

_And that voice which calls out to her in her darkest hours._

_That voice filled with adoration and above all else, love._

"_Fate… Fate-chan… Wake up…"_

---

"Fate…Fate-chan… Wake up…"

Lindy's gentle voice called out in the darkness.

"Nanoha!"

Fate's eyes snapped open as she hastily sat up.

The bed sheet fell from her shoulders into a heap pooling in her lap. Her burgundy eyes were filled with alarm as it darted around the room, taking in her surroundings. Even in the darkness, she could see the dresser across from her as clear as she could in the day.

She was sitting on a king-sized bed with the brown covers of golden autumn leaves flung back. Her eyes focused on the worried face of Lindy and she relaxed slightly.

"Fate. How are you feeling?"

"Confused."

"Ahh… That happens. Do you want to talk about it?"

Even without further prompting from Lindy, Fate knew her mother was asking if she had recovered her lost memories from that fated night.

"I was protecting her. Nanoha. I was protecting Nanoha from oka- no- Precia."

Fate corrected herself.

"Ahh… So you remembered that too… I'm sorry, Fate. For lying to you all these years…"

"Don't be, okaa-san. You are more of a mother to me than she ever was. Even if I have blood relations with her still."

"Thank you, Fate. Now, about this girl, Nanoha?"

Lindy's expression turned serious.

"She's one of us. If Precia finds out that she's a pure breed…"

"Why was Alicia sealed, Fate? All I know was that it would forever alter our lives should Precia manage to carry out whatever she was planning."

"Alicia… Alicia… I can't remember…"

Fate squeezed her eyes shut in concentration. Her hands clenching the covers in her fists.

"My powers…if Alicia had my powers, she could easily destroy half the city…"

Images from years past flooded Fate's mind.

_Fate's wrists were bounded by metal shackles attached to heavy chains. Somewhere in the high ceiling, gears squeaked as its teeth caught on. The metal chain clanking as it was wound tightly. The chain shortened and Fate was lifted by her wrists and into the air. Her arms were spread out by her head as her feet left solid ground. The gears stopped squeaking in protest as it stopped turning. _

_Suspended in the air, Fate lifted her head slightly to take in her surroundings, particularly noting her bound wrists. From the darkness before her, a cracking sound rang out, followed shortly by the lashing of a whip. The crack it made as it snapped through the air was as startling as a gun shot. The end of the whip met with exposed flesh with a sickening smack accompanied by a small grunt of pain. _

_Fate winced slightly and squeezed her eyes shut for the next lash. The skin tight top that she was wearing was ripped in several areas. Each jagged edge of cloth framed an angry red swelling. She mentally prepared herself for the next crack of the whip and the flash of pain. _

_Neither came._

_Instead, she felt twin pinpricks breaking the skin on her neck. _

_The pain was slight, just a wee bit uncomfortable. _

_But the onset of a fainting spell was something else altogether._

_Her head felt heavy._

_The nerves in her limbs were tingling._

_The muscles of her limbs starting protesting before progressing to a mild spasm._

_The taut muscles of her body were contracting rapidly, the muscles straining before relaxing. The cycle repeating like a broken tape player stuck on rewind._

_Lactic acid was rapidly building up in her muscles as they demanded for more oxygen. _

_Her head drooped forwards, her body limp from the blood loss._

_The pain from the twinned pinpricks was insignificant as compared to the repercussions her body was suffering from the blood loss. _

_She hardly felt the pointed fangs withdrawing from her broken skin._

_Neither did she feel the warm wet tongue pressed against her neck, encouraging the wound to clot._

_Nor the tickling of long blond hair on her neck._

_All she felt was the relief that came with the loss of consciousness._

---

"What has that got to do with this Nanoha?"

Lindy questioned, puzzled by the chain of events.

"She's a pure breed. A first generation pure breed."

At the reply, Lindy's emerald eyes widened first in surprise then realization.

"A first generation…could she be…?"

The thought trailed off as another came to mind.

"If Alicia takes her powers…"

Lindy looked away.

"We must not let that happen. Right now, we have to find this Nanoha. Do you have any information on her, Fate?"

The ever analytical Chrono spoke up from the bedroom door way.

With his arms still crossed, he pushed himself off the door frame he was leaning on with his shoulder to stand beside Lindy.

"I know just where to find her."

Fate stated as her eyes followed Chrono's movements.

"Hurry. Chances are that Precia already knows where to find her as well."

Chrono urged.

Fate nodded once before sliding off the bed. She paused momentarily when Lindy reached out to give her hand a slight squeeze. Emerald eyes gaze at her with fondness and Fate returned a reassuring squeeze at Lindy's unspoken words.

'_Be careful, Fate.'_

The older woman watched as the young blond slipped out of the open bedroom door. Milliseconds later, the main door shut with a soft click.

"Is it wise to let her go alone?"

Lindy turned to regard her son who placed a warm hand on her shoulder.

"She has to. Precia had it all planned out. The only miscalculation on her part was her assumption that Fate would turn against us based on her words alone."

"Yes. Now, it's time for us to make our move too."

"Understood, okaa-san. I'll gather the rest."

Chrono left the room swiftly, leaving Lindy with her thoughts.

---

The white acrylic tag with a black border was flipped around. The words on the other side of the tag were reflected in the glass panelled door.

'Sorry, we are closed.'

Nanoha inhaled deeply. Another day at the café had drawn to a close. Turning away from the door, Nanoha hurried towards the switch box behind the counter. With the slight pull, the metal cover swung open and Nanoha proceeded to flip a series of switches. One by one, the lights flicked off. First the light of the sign board, followed closely by the interior lights of the café. Within seconds, only the dim yellowish fluorescent light from the sole bulb in the ceiling illuminated the main door.

"Nanoha!"

A deep male voice bellowed from the darkness of the kitchen.

"Opps…"

Grinning sheepishly even though she knew no one would see, Nanoha flipped one of the red coloured switches back into the on position. White light flooded the kitchen, spilling over into the dark interior of the seating area. Azure eyes scanned the switch board, checking for a switch that she might have missed. With a slight nod in satisfaction, the brunette flipped the metal lid closed with a flick of her wrists, humming a cheerful tune as she turned to pick up the stack of table cloth that she had left on the counter earlier.

The hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

Goosebumps graced her forearms.

A chill raced up her spine.

Nanoha let out a bloodcurdling scream as she caught sight of a dark figure standing at the edges of the weak pool of light.

A single amethyst orb at eye-level glimmered sinisterly in the weak lighting.

Author's Notes: The next one will take a while. Action scenes are not my forte…

My apologies in advance. A big thank you to those who took the time to review. I hope you will continue to inspire me. Thanks!


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, no. I do not own MGLN or its wonderful characters.

Author's Note: Here it is, chapter 4. I apologize for the delay. I am not good with action scenes and I apologize if some parts do not make sense. More importantly, a big thank you to those who have taken the time to leave a review. You have no idea how much it means to me. It's a huge source of inspiration.

Read, Review and Enjoy!

* * *

**My Fate, Our Destiny**

**Chapter IV**

A figure darker than night itself darted along the roofs, leaping across alleyways with ease. Like a shadow, it moved fluidly along the ledge, taking the plunge across a poorly lit street and landing soundlessly on the opposite roof. The shadow sidled down the brick wall, dropping to the ground midway. The shadow stretched back, its dark mass crawling along the ground, edging further away from its owner.

Fate stepped into a pool of light cast by a scarce street lamp.

Casually, she lifted both hands to her head, lowering the hood and shaking out her golden tresses as she stepped towards a dark storefront.

A slight prickling at the back of her neck accompanied a nagging feeling of dread.

She raised her right arm, reaching to push the glass panelled door open.

The door swung back on its well oiled hinges allowing entrance to the faint lighting from the sole streetlamp outside. Fate's eyes darted around the interior cautiously before stepping past the door. Her nostrils flared as she inhaled the many scents bombarding her olfactory senses. Her mind whirred as she processed each separate scent, searching for the familiar scent of lavender.

One scent stood out from the rest.

Blood.

Fresh blood.

Burgundy eyes widened as Fate darted forwards. She could literally taste the blood in the air. The coppery tang of blood searing her sensitive taste buds as she flicked her tongue out.

The kitchen.

Like the wind, the blond darted past the swinging doors, hardly giving them time to swing shut before she was at the other end of the cramped kitchen. The white fluorescent overhead lamp was flickering. Blanketing the stainless steel kitchen in darkness before flashing on again to illuminate the room even if just for a few seconds.

But it was more than enough.

In a blur, Fate knelt beside a man slumped against the large freezer.

She did not need to press her fingers against his neck to feel for a pulse. She could hear his heartbeat and erratic breathing as clearly as she could hear the traffic on the main street a block away.

Heavy eyelids fluttered open, pupils dilating in the poor lighting.

"Fate…"

The man whispered as he reached to grab a handful of her jacket weakly.

Fate nodded slightly as she leaned towards him.

"Save her. Fate, please…"

Shiro gasped out.

His free hand pressed harder against his stomach to stem the flow of blood seeping though his fingers.

"I will, Shiro-san."

Fate replied reassuringly.

She opened her right palm over the gaping wound, calling forth two orbiting rings of yellow scrawling which surrounded the wound.

The bleeding slowed, then stopped completely.

"That's all I can do for now. Stay still, I'll get you an ambulance."

Fate whispered softly to the injured man.

"Thank you. Fate, hurry…"

Shiro gasped out before losing consciousness.

Fate gritted her teeth and darted through the kitchen and into the seating area in a blur.

Fishing out her cell phone from her jacket pocket, she flipped the cover opened and dialled without glancing at the keypad. As she positioned the slim device to her ear, Fate slipped into the dark alleyway once more and sprang up towards the roof. Landing in a crouch, she murmured a greeting to the emergency operator who picked up after just one ring.

---

A dark haze lifted revealing a wide room illuminated by pale moonlight streaming in through a gap in the heavy curtains at the furthest end. The room rocked in a strange manner, swaying like a ship caught in a storm.

'_Ooh…my head…'_

The hazy fog lifted completely as the room swam into focus.

Nanoha lifted her hand in an attempt to massage her throbbing temples only to find she could hardly move her wrists. Groggily, she turned her head slightly to the right, azure eyes following the dull metallic sheen of interlink bands of metal as the chain led from her cuffed right wrist and towards the wall. She tugged slightly on her left wrist and the clinking of metal confirmed her suspicions. Swinging her legs lightly, her eyes widened as the lower half of her body rocked with the motions, sending a dull throb of pain shooting down her arms in the process.

She was chained by her wrists to the ceiling with her legs bounded together.

Shaking her head from side to side, she tried to recall the events leading up to her waking up in this situation.

'_Oh right. The woman with the amethyst eyes.'_

'_I could've sworn I locked the door…'_

She wanted to scream so very badly.

Though it was clear no one would be able to hear her.

From the corner of her eye, she caught a dark shape shifting on her right.

Snapping her head around, she craned her neck to see behind her.

"Who's there?"

A sense of pride surged through her.

Even in such a dire situation, she was proud that her voice did not crack.

Golden blond hair glinted beneath the pale moonlight as a young woman moved to stand before her suspended body. Burgundy eyes met hers with curiosity.

'_Fate? No. This girl isn't Fate, though the resemblance is uncanny. She's too young to be Fate. Not my Fate.' _

Her subconsciousness registered the possessive term.

"You are not Fate…"

Nanoha whispered softly, her eyes fixated on the blond before her.

The corner of the blonde's lips twitched slightly and the blond bended her knees in a mocking curtsy.

"Alicia Testarossa. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Takamachi Nanoha."

Nanoha stiffened at the mention of her name.

"Fate will be joining us soon. While we are waiting, how about letting me have a taste?"

Alicia's lips curled up, revealing her left fang, its tip gleaming even in the poor lighting.

"Vampire…?"

"Not quite, Takamachi-san."

A voice from the darkness answered her.

A figure moved into the light. Dark wavy hair framed a face with high cheekbones, the long fringe obscuring one eye. Her purple robes swished with each step she took.

"Behave yourself, Alicia. That's not how you should welcome our guest."

The woman chided the young blond.

Alicia shot Nanoha with a sly grin before stepping back to join the older woman.

"In answer to your previous question, Takamachi-san, we are not vampires. Though it is a term commonly used to refer to people of our kind, I assure you, we are not the creatures that your myths and legends would have you believe."

"Then, what are you…?"

"I am Precia Testarossa, mistress of the Garden of Time. This is my daughter Alicia whom I trust you have met. We are human beings in a sense. We belong to the sub species of _Homo Sapiens, Mid-childians._"

At the blank look she received from the chained brunette, Precia sighed dramatically.

"Or vampires as your people believe."

Nanoha cocked her head to the left, thinking thoughtfully before opening her mouth.

"No, garlic does not repel us. While we are on that subject, holy water would deal as much damage as rain drops."

Precia interrupted as irritation pricked at her patience.

Nanoha clamped her mouth shut.

Another thought came to mind and Nanoha phrased it carefully before speaking.

"Could Fate be your daughter as well?"

Maniacal laughter echoed eerily around the cavernous room.

"She is not my daughter. She has and will always be a tool, will she not Alicia?"

Precia smiled fondly at the nine year old blond who smiled beatifically up at her in return.

Anger gripped her heart in a deadlock as Nanoha struggled to contain her emotions. There was no denying that Fate was somehow related to this dysfunctional family. The uncanny resemblance that Fate shared with Alicia was indisputable. The younger blond could easily pass as Fate's younger sister. Yet to hear this woman deny the blood relations between herself and Fate with such disdain filled her heart with righteous anger.

Gritting her teeth, Nanoha changed the topic to more pressing matters.

"What do you want from me?"

"Ah. I was wondering when you would ask the obvious. You will bring us our beloved tool. Once you have outlived your usefulness, perhaps you would be able to satiate Alicia's thirst."

At the statement, Alicia once more curled her lips up to reveal both her fangs, eliciting a shudder from Nanoha.

"What are you going to do to Fate?"

"Break her as she watches the life force drained from your body."

Nanoha's mouth opened and closed like that of a fish out of water.

'_Nanoha.'_

The brunette's head jerked around as she strained her ears to hear better.

'_Nanoha, wait for me.'_

That familiar voice once again but the Testarossa women did not appear to have heard it.

'_My imagination?'_

'_No, listen to me Nanoha. I won't let them hurt you.'_

---

Separated by the tiled roof, Fate stepped carefully towards the metal spike attached to the far end of the slanted roof. A familiar white scarf with blue trimming was skewered to the pointed metal spike. It flapped wildly in the wind like a raised flag. With a swift motion, Fate grabbed the hand knitted fabric from the spike, taking care not to rip the fabric further.

---

'_Fate?'_

'_Yes?'_

'_Why are you in my head? I must be imagining your voice.'_

A strange feeling filled her. It was almost as if she could feel the blond laughing.

'_I'll explain later. Close your eyes, Nanoha. I'm coming in.'_

Nanoha squeezed her eyes shut as the glass window shattered in a shower of glittering fragments. The heavy black curtains were ripped from the rails and crumpled in a heap at the foot of the floor to ceiling high window frame. A blur of yellow and black spun in through the shower of glass, rolling once on the ground before the figure sprang back on its feet.

Fate shook out her tresses, dislodging the numerous fragments of glass crystals from her hair. In her right hand, she clenched the white and blue scarf in a tight fist.

"Welcome home, Fate."

Precia opened her arms in a welcoming gesture.

Fate took two steps to her right, standing between the Testarossa women and the suspended Nanoha.

"Let her go. I'm here now."

"I'm afraid not, dearest sister."

Alicia replied, a taunting grin splitting her beautiful features.

In a blur, she darted towards the wide-eyed Nanoha, fangs bared as she leapt forwards.

Time seem to slow to a crawl. The feral reflection of the charging Alicia loomed larger in Nanoha's constricted pupils. The revealed pair of fangs gleamed wickedly in the poor lighting in anticipation of flesh. Alicia's face was an inch away from Nanoha's fear stricken one.

Then the visage disappeared as a loud thud echoed around the barren room.

Fate dropped back to the ground, landing in a crouch having spin-kicked Alicia across the room.

Her features hardened as she raised her right arm into the air.

Two orbiting circles of yellow scrawling encircled her wrist.

Her opened palm disappeared in the otherworldly pocket.

"Don't even think about it."

Precia's cold voice rang out, accompanied by the crack of whip.

The black whip curled around Fate's outstretched forearm. With a sharp yank, Precia flung Fate against the brick wall which groaned at the impact. The magic circle faded out as the whip was withdrawn. Fate slid down the indented wall with a shower of fragmented concrete. Disorientated, Fate shook her head from side to side in an attempt to clear the bright bursts of light obscuring her vision.

"Fate!"

The worried tone in Nanoha's voice caused Fate to snap her head around.

Grunting slightly, Fate heaved herself to her feet.

The movement of air alerted Fate and she twisted her body away just as the reinforced entwined rubber whip broke off a slab of concrete from the wall where she had been standing only moments before. Darting away, Fate danced out of reach of the whip, keeping her distance as she circled around the perimeter of the room.

Meters from her, Alicia pulled herself onto all fours before standing up shakily. Her pink one-piece dress was torn from sliding down the broken wall where she was thrown against. The rips in the thin cotton fabric revealed prominent ribs covered with the fair skin of a child who has not seen daylight in a while. Alicia glanced down at her torn outfit then glared at Fate.

"You ruined my favourite dress!"

Alicia stomped her foot, throwing a typical nine year old tantrum.

Crouching slightly, she launched herself towards Fate who lifted her arms in defence. The younger blond crashed into Fate, throwing her off balance. In a blur of blond hair, the two blondes grappled on the floor, each trying to get a chokehold on the other. With a roar of fury, a yellow pinkish blur flew across the room, landing on the cracked tiled floor with a loud thud and bouncing once before sliding to the opposite wall. An answering cry rang out, followed closely by the swish of the rubber whip as it lashed towards a gasping Fate who was pulling herself to her feet.

A blur of orange streaked past, intercepting the whip and wrenching it out of Precia's grasp as it landed heavily before Fate. A wolf the size of a man on all fours spat the black rubber whip from its mouth. Orange fur rippled on its taut muscles, a distinctive red spot on its forehead and white fur covering its barrelled chest and underbelly.

Nanoha's eyes widened as the image of the orange wolf rippled. Its outline becoming fuzzy and soon, its entire body seem to shimmer in and out of focus. The figure reared back on its hind limbs as its snout shortened. In a blink of an eye, a well toned woman stood in its place. If it wasn't for the same distinctive red marking on her forehead and orange ears with white fur-ed tips, Nanoha would have though her eyes were playing tricks on her.

The orange wolf _transformed_ into a woman.

The woman clad in pink denim shorts and a pink sleeveless shirt which could barely contain her voluptuous bosom, cracked her glove covered knuckles. One pointed fang was revealed as she grinned menacingly.

Nanoha felt the building pain behind her temples escalate to a heavy throbbing. Twenty four hours ago, she was sexually harassed by a group of males only to be saved by a mysterious blond woman. That encounter seemed to have brought upon a whole string of unexplainable events. In twenty four hours, her mundane life was turned upside down and now involves otherworldly creatures.

"My head seriously hurts…"

Nanoha muttered beneath her breath.

She was mildly surprised when Fate snapped her head around to glance at her with worry.

'_Hang in there.'_

Fate's voice was in her head yet again.

This time round she could clearly see that the blond had not spoken aloud from Fate's tightly clenched jaw.

'_The night simply gets weirder. Right now, I just want to down two tablets of aspirin and sleep till the sun rises…' _

Nanoha sighed inwardly.

"Thank you, Arf."

Fate stood to her full height.

"Do what you need to. I'll hold her off."

The were-woman replied with glee as she sprinted towards the disarmed Precia.

The twinned orbiting yellow circles of energy flared out again.

Without hesitation, Fate thrust her opened palm into the center of the revolving rings.

Her wrist disappeared from view.

The muscles in her forearm tightened and stood out like taut bow strings.

"Bardiche."

A yellow light flickered to life in her consciousness, blinking once in response.

Fate withdrew her arm, her fingers wrapped around the titanium shaft of her beloved weapon. The iridium-titanium curved blade gleamed in the yellowish light before the energy faded out. With a swift swing, the blade arced in a slash, whistling sharply as the blade carved the air and shattered the metal chains suspending the brunette.

Nanoha let out a yelp in surprise as she tumbled through the air and towards the ground. Squeezing her eyes shut in anticipation of the impact, her breath caught when she landed instead in someone's arms. Her eyelids snapping open, she was greeted with burgundy eyes gazing down at her with concern.

"Gotcha."

Fate murmured, a warm smile spreading across her features.

"Thank you, that's twice you've saved me."

"Thrice."

Nanoha blinked in confusion.

"If breaking in through the window doesn't qualify as saving you, I don't know what else would."

Fate explained.

'_That smile's breathtaking…'_

"Fate-chan, my father…"

"He's fine."

Fate slowly lowered the brunette to the ground and grinned sheepishly when Nanoha tripped from her bound feet.

"Opps…forgot about that one…"

With a quick cleave of her scythe, the looped metal pieces snapped apart like dry twigs. The clanking of metal was lost in the ongoing battle between Arf and Precia. She watched as Arf launched herself towards Precia, pulling back her right fist. The impact was thunderous as Arf threw a straight punch that would have knocked out a grown man but the attack was stopped by a purplish sphere of energy the surface of which rippled like an angry wave. The barrier fluctuated then erupted in a burst of energy which flung the were-woman back.

Fate stepped towards her fallen comrade, oblivious to an energy lance whittling through the air towards her head.

"Fate!"

Fate looked up in alarm however; the yellow lance of pure energy was almost upon her. She raised Bardiche. If she couldn't avoid it, perhaps she could deflect it. She bended her knees to lower her center of gravity as she mentally counted down the milliseconds for her swing.

'_Almost…'_

'_Another inch…'_

'_NOW!'_

With a fluid motion, Fate swung her scythe upwards in an arc, watching as the blade reflected the yellowish light from the energy lance as it whistled through the air.

However, the energy lance never made contact with Bardiche's blade.

Instead, it was shattered into dissipating energy fragments by a pinkish hemisphere which appeared before Fate.

"What the…"

Fate gaped in astonishment at the barrier before whirling around to face the one who had cast it.

"Nanoha?"

The brunette had her left arm raised and her eyes squeezed shut. Her chin was pressed against her opposite shoulder while her right arm was raised to shield her face, almost as if she were preparing for the impact of an oncoming object. It was comical and Fate would have laughed had it not been for the sudden stillness blanketing the room. All eyes were on the brunette who did not appear to realize her actions. Seconds ticked by before Nanoha opened one eye cautiously.

"Eh?"

Nanoha blinked, her eyes flicking from one person to the next as they continued staring at her. Focusing her gaze on Fate, Nanoha lowered her extended arm and the barrier behind Fate collapsed. Blinking in disbelief that she had indeed unconsciously cast the rapidly disintegrating barrier, Nanoha struggled to form words.

"Did I do that?"

Before her question could be answered, a shrill shriek pierced the still air and Alicia charged towards her in a blur of yellow and pink. At the cry, Fate twisted her body around as her heels dug into the cracked tiles. With a slight grunt, Fate launched her lithe body towards the small charging mass in an attempt to intercept. The two blonds clashed once again as fists met metal.

Nanoha could only watch uselessly as across from her, the woman with the orange tinted hair and wolf's ears let loose a series of kicks and punches at a casual Precia who had not move an inch ever since the fight began. Every blow met the resistance of a purplish barrier which encased Precia in a hemisphere of purple energy.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Nanoha tried to recall her actions which had let to the formation of the barrier. All she recalled was the feeling of alarm and worry that Fate would be harmed. That had ignited a part of her that she never knew existed. She could never bring herself to watch Fate getting hurt. The mere thought of seeing her Fate skewered by that sneaky energy lance had awakened a part of her. No matter the expense, she wanted to protect Fate.

'_Why can't I do it again?!'_

'_They are getting hurt because of me. I need to help somehow!' _

A yelp of pain jerked her back to the situation at hand. Her first thought was that somehow, the flailing Alicia had somehow managed to get past Fate's defences. Snapping her eyes open, she caught sight of Arf being sent flying backwards by a hard punch in the gut from Precia. The orange haired woman back-flipped in the air as her form shifted into the more agile wolf form. The orange wolf dug its claws into the tiles, razor sharp claws scraping against the polished tiled flooring with shrilling squeaks. Nanoha winced, clapping her palms against her ears to muffle the ear-piercing shrieks which reminded her of fingernails scraping on glass in horror movies.

Oh the irony. She was stuck in a nightmare herself.

In the center of the room, the two blond women hardly glanced up at the ear piercing squeals of claws against tiles. Each had the other in a chokehold while around them yellow globes of sizzling energy clashed against each other. It was impressive the way they managed to maintain their focus on the circling energy balls at the same time they were holding each other off. Unfortunately, both blonds were evenly matched. Their summoned energies were of equal intensity and both women were equally gifted in the use of the lightning element.

Nanoha gritted her teeth. She wanted so badly to help, hoping she had a skill that would tip the scales in their favour. Here she was, stuck in the heat of a battle like a typical damsel in distress. Not capable of doing anything that might aid her allies or hinder her foes. All she could do was to stay out of the fighting and not be a burden to her allies.

'_And why is it so darn cold?!'_

Nanoha shivered, rubbing her arms in an attempt to warm herself.

'_Perhaps it's the adrenaline rush.'_

Her breath came out in little huffs of fog.

Ice crystals seemed to be forming in the air.

It was getting harder to breathe.

The air seemed thicker and heavier.

"Execution shift."

A deep male voice intoned from the darkness behind the shivering brunette.

Numerous ice crystals merged to form pointed glaciers suspended in midair. At an unspoken cue, the crystal shards of various sizes sped forwards like guided missiles, swerving around to avoid both Fate and Arf as the blond and the orange fur-ed wolf leapt back from their respective opponents. The crystal shards embedded themselves in the barriers which Precia and Alicia had flung up in haste. More of the unnatural glaciers struck the barrier's circumference, embedding themselves deep into the multi-layered shields as they bored themselves deeper. Soon, the barriers were starting to resemble an overcrowded needle ball.

"Fate, move!"

The same voice shouted this time.

Trapped, neither Precia nor Alicia could move to intercept as Fate darted towards Nanoha in a blur of motion. Flipping her scythe to her left hand, Fate reached out with her right arm to grab the brunette around the waist. Pulling Nanoha against her chest, she ignored the protest from the brunette as she bounded across the room towards the broken window in a single stride. At her heels, Arf in her wolf form kept pace as her paws pounded against the cracked tiles at a steady rhythm. Overtaking Fate, she leapt a good two meters out of the window, angling her body towards the ground as soon as gravity made its claim on her. Hardly breaking stride, her front paws hit the dirt, sending out a puff of dust which hardly had time to settle before her hind limbs propelled her forwards. Behind her, Fate landed nimbly even with Nanoha flung over her shoulder, fireman style. Together, the trio raced towards the water edge and with a shimmer of yellow energy, they disappeared into thin air, leaving the Garden of Time behind on its offshore island.

---

Alicia's barrier fluctuated from the pressure of the many ice shards first. A ripple of energy broke across its previously still surface and without notice, cracks appeared in the smooth shell of the barrier. The yellow sphere of protective energy shattered into innumerable fragments granting entrance to the ice spears. The crystallized spears of ice embedded themselves into the concrete, further shattering the tiles into minute fragments. The dozen or so ice spears which would have pierced through Alicia halted an inch away from her body. Even with death right before her very eyes, Alicia seem unperturbed, no trace of fear on her porcelain features.

Across the room, Precia's barrier withstood the bulk of the attack. Her forehead ceased in concentration as she continued pouring energy into her barrier. The spears of ice faltered, each shook from the resistance it faced while piercing into the purple sphere of energy. Not surprisingly, the ice shards shattered. The heat from the energy barrier evaporating the ice crystals with a crackling sizzle.

By the time Precia broke free from the surprise magical attack, the unknown man who had cast the spell had vanished in a flash of blue light, his summoned attack evaporating into the air.

* * *

Author's Note: Yea I do realize it's probably garbage -.-

And that I am simply twisting the facts in the anime to suit this fic. Oh well…it would take too much time to create a whole new set of information for an AU fic and it would be really confusing as well… Do review and continue to inspire my muse.

Cheers!


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own MGLN

Author Notes: I'll admit it. I forgot to update. My apologies for the delay…work has been crazy and I barely had time to take a breather… however, now that I have made the greatest decision of my life to resign, yay to more time for writing! Thank you all for reviewing. I hope that the following chapter would be satisfactory..

Read, Review & Enjoy!

Cheers!

* * *

**My Fate, Our Destiny**

**Chapter 5**

"Nanoha? Nanoha."

The brunette stirred slightly.

She had fallen asleep some time during their escape from the island. The constant flickering of yellow energy as they teleported randomly had intensified her headache. In addition, the landscape speeding past had made her so dizzy that her head was spinning still. That and the fact that she was safe and secure in the arms of a certain blond was enough to send her into a state of unconsciousness. While Fate was hurtling through dark streets and rooftops, the limpness of Nanoha's body slung across her right shoulder had caused Fate to reposition the brunette. Intending to piggy-back the brunette, Fate had given in when Nanoha refused to remove her arms from around the blonde's neck.

It was in that position that Nanoha found herself waking up in. Her arms draped loosely around Fate's neck as blond hair tickled her forearms. Fate's right arm was behind her knees while her left arm held her scythe and supported Nanoha's back. Her forehead was pressed against Fate's slender neck as her breath tickled the blonde's collarbone.

Nanoha did not want to wake up. Not yet anyway. She was warm and comfortable and undoubtedly safe and secured. She could feel the warmth radiating from the blonde's body and the up and down motions of the blonde's chest as she breathe. Not just that, she could hear the steady beat of Fate's heart.

"Nanoha, I know you are awake."

Busted.

Azure eyes met burgundy's sheepishly. Nanoha's eyes darted around as she took in her surroundings. They were no longer moving through dark alleyways. Instead, she was seated in Fate's lap and cuddled against the blonde's chest while Fate was kneeling on the maroon covers of a large bed. Releasing the blond, Nanoha scooted back with her arms, her face beet red.

"Erm…where are we?"

"My house, in my room."

Fate glanced at the covers and added as an afterthought.

"And in my bed. Alone."

Even the tips of Nanoha's ears flushed.

Fate chuckled mischievously as she lightly hopped off the bed. Crossing the room, she pulled opened the uppermost drawer of her table and removed an orange polishing cloth. Running the fabric over first the blade of Bardiche, she methodically polished the scythe from blade to shaft before replacing the weapon on its holding pegs on the wall. Turning back to her bed, Fate crawled across the wide expanse of the king size bed to rejoin Nanoha who was leaning against the wall the bed was flushed against.

"So…" Fate started hesitantly.

"You are probably wondering what's going on."

Nanoha nodded slowly, not sure what to expect.

With a sigh, Fate shifted her position so that she was now kneeling by Nanoha's left.

"It would be easier for me to show you than to explain in words."

"Show me how?"

Nanoha's confusion was apparent in her clear blue eyes.

"You wouldn't like it."

Fate tugged gently on Nanoha's arm, wordlessly prompting the brunette to lean against her front which the brunette obliged hesitantly. Sitting back down, Fate stretched out her left leg and folded her right beneath the outstretch limb. Her right arm wrapped itself around Nanoha's chest, effectively pinning the brunette's arms while she rested her chin against Nanoha's left shoulder. Raising her left arm before Nanoha's face, Fate whispered.

"Bite."

Nanoha turned to look at the blond in astonishment and rearing slightly when she realized the proximity of their faces.

"What?!"

With a heavy sigh, Fate brought her left wrist to her mouth. A flash of gleaming fangs left the prominent veins beneath the skin severed. Holding her bleeding wrist before Nanoha, Fate nudged the brunette gently.

"Drink." She commanded.

Nanoha shook her head, pushing herself back only to be blocked by Fate. In this position, she could not retreat.

"Please, Nanoha. You have to."

Nanoha pressed her lips firmly together.

She could smell the coppery tang of blood.

Oh so tantalizing.

Tentatively, Nanoha stuck her tongue out and caught the first crimson droplet as it fell from the pull of gravity. The metallic taste was overwhelming and she struggled to fight back the bile rising in her throat.

Fate pressed her mangled wrist against Nanoha's lips.

The smell of blood pervaded her olfactory senses. Nanoha tried to twist her head away but Fate had her well trapped.

Deep inside her, a primal sense stirred.

Her tongue flitted out and caught a stream of the fresh flowing blood.

No longer could she taste the stinging metallic taste. Instead, Fate's blood tasted as sweet as honey.

Opening her mouth fully, Nanoha clamped her lips around the jagged wound.

Her vision was clouded by a red haze.

The hot viscous fluid was flowing unchecked into her mouth as she lapped greedily at the wound.

A yellow burst of light in the dark confines of her sub-consciousness flared to life then faded off soon after.

With each swallow of blood, images flickered through her mind's eye. Each image only lingered long enough for her to catch a good glimpse before the next replaced it. Her mind was overwhelmed with the influx of sights, sounds and smells. Her head throbbed harder than before.

She vaguely felt Fate resting her head heavily on her shoulder. Fate's arm around her slackened and fell limply into her lap.

With a start, Nanoha realized that Fate was about to faint.

Pressing her tongue against Fate's wrist, Nanoha licked gently, urging the blood to clot. Her arms now freed, Nanoha pulled Fate's arm away from her face to cradle it in her lap. The greenish veins healed first, reconnecting themselves before the lumen was bulging with the venous blood flow. Next, severed tendons and ligaments pulled themselves taut like bow strings as flesh filled the gaps. Lastly, the connective tissues preceded the dermis and epidermis, as it crept across raw flesh. Silently, Nanoha marvelled at the accelerated healing as the jagged edges of the wound pulled itself together, leaving only a faint crescent shaped scar as it healed.

As each second ticked by, Nanoha was supporting more of Fate's weight. Worried, she cast a glance over her shoulder to find Fate's eyelids were closed, hiding her wine red eyes.

"Fate-chan?" Nanoha whispered.

An answering hum sounded in her ear.

Pulling Fate's arms around her neck, Nanoha gently lowered Fate onto the bed awkwardly. As soon as the blond was lying fully on her back, Nanoha released the blonde's arms and rolled onto her knees before she toppled on top of the sleepy blond. Without much difficulty, Nanoha yanked the bed covers from beneath Fate's body and covered the blond with the maroon sheets. Tilting her head slightly, Nanoha mentally traced the blonde's features. Even in the pitch black room, she could see clearer than before. The curve of Fate's cheekbones, her long lashes, even the shade of the blonde's shapely lips.

'_Weird.'_

A quick glance through the slit in the curtains confirmed that it was indeed still dark outside. A glance at the peacefully slumbering Fate was all it took to convince the brunette. Slipping beneath the covers, Nanoha slid across the wide bed to press her back against Fate's side. Her eyelids were drooping as her head hit the fluffy pillow with its matching pillow case which carried the blonde's scent. She gasped in surprise when the blond unconsciously wrapped an arm around her waist. With a contented smile, Nanoha allowed the accumulated fatigue from the past events to lull her into sub-consciousness.

That night, Nanoha's waking dreams played in her mind like a broken melody.

---

"Did you know?"

"I've to admit, I didn't, Alicia."

Precia propped her chin against her palm as she slumped against one of the arm rest of her high back chair.

It was not the most comfortable of furniture. It does, however give off a certain aura of nobility whenever she had guests. Superiority has always been something she can identify with. At a tender age, she had assumed the rights to her family clan. The rest of her family had died from unknown causes which she does not ever intend to divulge.

Never one for physical conflicts, she had somehow managed to avoid majority of the ever warring clans by remaining on her discreet offshore island. An island where no one who did not have the necessary coordinates would be able to set foot upon its sandy beaches.

A few years later, she had twins.

A phenomenon that should not have occurred amongst her people.

The accursed twins.

At an early stage, one of the twins was expected to be absorbed by the other. Unfortunately, such was not the case.

After a nine month gestation, she gave birth to a pair of identical twins with the aid of magic. The older of the two was Alicia. Clear burgundy eyes met hers before the infant cried out. And the younger twin who should not have existed, Fate.

If only, Fate's strength was Alicia's. If only Alicia possessed Fate's abilities. Then, they would have been able to gain what should rightfully be theirs. The wealth of knowledge that the Al-Hazard ruins had buried beneath their sandy graves.

Nine years past and both Fate's and Alicia's powers increased drastically. But alas, it was always Fate who was slightly faster, or stronger. The date of the star alignment was drawing nearer and she had to prepare for their trip soon. That was when she discovered Fate was planning to thwart her plans. That was the night she sealed Fate's memories. That was also the night she had led a visibly upset Alicia into the nutrient tank. Alicia's pleading looks as she sealed her beloved daughter. The pang of loneliness that engulfed her heart as eyelids fluttered closed to hid wine red irises. Then the ten year long period where she lived alone, frequently holding one-sided conversations with her sleeping Alicia.

"Okaa-san?" Alicia's voice brought Precia out of her reverie.

"We'll take back what's ours, Alicia."

Precia stroked the blonde's hair fondly as the girl stood by her right arm.

Having spent ten years under a time seal, Alicia had not aged a day older than when she was first sealed. Her beloved daughter was still a nine year old child while her other pathetic excuse of a daughter was nineteen.

The irony.

If there wasn't a need for Alicia's body to remain that of a child so it could cope with the increase in latent energy, Precia would have never subjected her daughter to this.

"But I want her!"

Alicia stomped her foot.

"Who? Takamachi-san?"

"Yes. She's stronger…much stronger than Fate…"

"Not now my adorable Alicia. Now that the angel of death has made her debut, we have to hurry. I won't be able to wait another ten years…"

Alicia nodded, albeit reluctantly.

Turning swiftly, the young blond stalked off into the darkness, her blond hair trailing out behind her. Behind her, Precia coughed into a white handkerchief, the choking gasp muffled by the pristine white fabric. Pulling the piece of fabric from her mouth, she was not surprised to see the dark mass in its folds.

---

_Her eyes fluttered open and she took in her surroundings slowly. Trees lined both sides of the path that she was currently sprawled in the center of. Deep shadows stretched across the ground, its darkness like a gaping maw._

_It was night. _

_The murky purple that accompanies twilight illuminated the park, casting an ethereal hue on the tall sturdy tree trunks. Above her, an owl glided overhead on spread wings, riding the unseen waves of wind, its shadow mimicking its every move on the ground. _

_The moon seemed closer than before, looming large in the night sky. It was so close that it appeared to be hovering just above the tree tops. A rustle of feathers alerted her to the presence of another owl perched upon the lowest branch of the nearest tree. She could hear each distinct crackle as it preened itself. Not just that, she could literally hear the whispers of the wind as they spoke of the birds resting in their nests, the numerous insects inhabiting beneath the foliage. Even on this still night, the park was brimming with life. _

_She had no idea how she got here. The last thing she could recall was falling face first into her soft fluffy pillow still dressed in her school uniform. The comforting embrace of darkness that sleep brings had engulfed her, sending her into a state of unconsciousness. _

_She did not know how long she slept. A strange tugging at her heart had awakened her and she found herself sprawled across the dirt pathway of the Uminari Park. Glancing around, she reaffirmed what she already knew. _

_She was alone._

_Her senses were sharper than before. Each ray of light appeared more beautiful than ever. She could pick out each and every one of the colour spectrum that made up the white light from the street lamp. She could see the veins of each leaf of the maple tree spreading its branches overhead. Each scent had a different story to tell. She could distinctly pick out the smell of sweat and grime from the vagabond who loitered through the dark streets before lying down on a park bench on the other side of the park for the night. She could smell the fear rolling off like waves from the squirrel cowering in its hideout in the trunk of a tree. _

_A car honking resounded, half scaring her out of her wits. _

_It sounded as if it was right behind her. Straining her hearing, she could hear the faint sound of traffic. The nearest street was at least two blocks away._

_Weird. This night was getting weirder by the second._

_Picking herself up carefully, she dusted down her denim blue skirt and adjusted her brown jacket. She was about to turn around to head to the park exit when out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a flickering of red similar to that of light reflecting off a polished surface. Spotting an object half buried in the dirt, she squatted by the object and reached out a hand to brush away some of the dirt. Picking up the object, she marvelled at the blood red gem in her palm. _

_The clouds shifted and the moon peeked through. _

_As the light from the moon was reflected in the gem, a strong wind picked up, tossing hair in her face and causing her to squeeze her eyes shut._

_The wind blew stronger, forcing her to haunch over as her twin pony-tailed hair whipped across her face. _

_A few moments passed before the howling of the wind receded. Opening her eyes, she gasped in shock. Her eyes widened and her mind started to panic._

_She was floating above the trees on wings of pure energy._

---

Fate's body clock jarred her senses, dragging her from the calm of unconsciousness. Her body felt weighed down as if she was buried beneath something. Deciding to give herself a few more minutes of shut-eye, Fate waited for the moment when the piercing sun rays sneak in through the gap in the curtains and conveniently hit her face. Minutes passed and she almost drifted back to sleep before mentally jerking herself awake. Opening one eye, she squinted through slitted eyelids as the morning sun illuminated the room. However, no matter how hard she focused, a shadow loomed above her. Her burgundy eyes blinked rapidly, clearing the sleepy haze obscuring her vision. Yet the shadow remained. With the sun rays directly behind the figure before her, Fate could barely make out any features due to the intense glare.

"Nanoha?" She guessed.

The figure leaned forward, resting more of its weight on her body. Clear eyes like pieces of the sky met hers in an unwavering gaze.

"You sealed me." Nanoha accused.

Fate blinked at the statement.

"That night. You said you were only going to teleport us somewhere safe. Nothing about sealing me!"

"I'm sorry, Nanoha. If I did tell you my plans, you'd never allow me to go through with them…"

"That's precisely why! We should be standing by each other and fighting together! Why do you always choose to fight alone?! Do you have any idea how much it pains me to see you hurt?"

Nanoha's rant ended in a half whisper as she choked back a sob.

Without thinking, Fate pulled the distraught brunette fully down onto her, hugging her tightly.

"You are not alone, Fate. For as long as I have air in my lungs, you will never be alone…"

Turning her head slightly, Nanoha kissed Fate on the blonde's cheek, leaving her lips to linger for a few moments before pulling away and burying her head in the crook of Fate's shoulder. In return, Fate pressed her cheek against the brunette's forehead, tightening her arms around Nanoha's slim waist.

"I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

She whispered into the chestnut tresses, inhaling the soothing scent of Nanoha's conditioner deeply.

"Hm. We have already lost ten years…I don't want to lose another couple of weeks by staying mad at you."

Fate tilted the brunette's chin up to gaze into the pair of beautiful azure orbs.

"Thank you."

They gazed at each other for a few more moments before Nanoha pushed herself up on her elbows. Crawling up Fate's body, Nanoha stopped as she hovered above the blond. Leaning down, she pressed her forehead against the blonde's, their eyes never breaking contact. Slowly, their breaths met before their lips met tentatively in a chaste kiss.

A first for the both of them.

Nanoha pulled away slightly, her eyes fluttering open as she gazed once more in the depthless wine red orbs in wonder.

With the return of her memories which was unsealed together with her powers by Fate's blood, she remembered the love she had for the beautiful blond with the burgundy eyes. The feeling of belonging whenever she was next to the blond.

They had waited for far too long to be reunited with their other half.

Fate leaned upwards, catching soft lips in a passionate kiss. Eyelids fluttered closed as they enjoyed the sensations of their lips caressing the other's.

Till the blasted phone rang.

Fate allowed her head to fall back onto the soft pillow in exasperation. Fishing out the shrilling device from her jeans pocket, she glared at the screen before flipping the cover open to connect the call. Holding the cell phone to her ear, she listened for a few moments then disconnected with a press of a button. Flipping the black with yellow trim cell phone closed, Fate tossed the device onto the other end of the bed where it bounced off the springy mattress and onto the carpet with a muffled thud.

Sighing softly, she reached up to tuck a few strands of chestnut hair behind Nanoha's ear, deliberately trailing her fingers down the side of the brunette's face.

"There are some people I'd like you to meet…but before that, you should probably visit your father."

Nanoha nodded, yet she did not change her position.

Instead, she gazed intensely into Fate's burgundy eyes, shifting her weight to her left while her right hand searched for Fate's. Finding the warm palm pressed against her side, Nanoha gently tugged on the arm, trailing down its length towards Fate's palm. Intertwining their fingers, she brought their clasped palms to her face and kissed the back of the blonde's palm softly.

"We'll need to talk sometime soon…"

Fate cocked her head to the side.

Even without any further explanation from the brunette, Fate knew she was referring to their relationship.

Leaning up once more, she captured the brunette's lips in a gentle kiss, surprising Nanoha with the sudden intimacy.

Pulling away, Fate whispered huskily.

"I love you. But do you feel the same way?"

She questioned hesitantly, afraid to hear Nanoha's answer.

"Always."

Nanoha's lips crushed down upon Fate's. Her lips moving slowly as it grazed across the blonde's. Her heart was fluttering erratically in joy.

Fate's free hand ran up her back, stroking along her spine and sending shivers racing up. She yearned for more of that gentle touch, for the feelings that it ignited in her heart.

The very same feeling that she had felt when they had first met all those years ago.

---

_It was a foreign sensation. _

_The flickering of another's consciousness against her own, making her whole in ways that she could not describe. A sense of belonging soothed her mind. _

_She was no longer alone._

_Tilting her head up, she regarded the blond perched upon the lowest branch of the cherry tree before her. _

_The blond blinked in surprise, not expecting her presence to be noticed by another._

_But she had felt the blonde's consciousness brushing against hers. The feather light touch had drawn her to the park that quiet Sunday morning. _

_The attraction was undeniable. _

_Strangers they may be now, but the connection between their souls was clearly apparent._

_The blond stood up gracefully, maintaining her balance on the branch that was no thicker than her arm. Stepping off the branch, she landed on the soft grass, light as a feather, while bending her knees sightly to absorb the impact._

_Nanoha lifted her arm towards the blond, fingers outstretched._

_The wind picked up just then, carrying stray pinkish white petals on its invisible eddies. The current tugged gently on her pony tails, swaying it in its light caress._

_The blond stepped towards her, raising an arm as burgundy eyes fixated on her azure orbs. Their fingertips met and a surge of warmth flooded through every fibre of her being. _

_She was finally complete._

---

"_I love you too, Fate."_

Her words were filled with her emotions as she spoke through their mental link.

Pulling back, Nanoha rested her forehead against Fate's, her eyelids fluttering open to see the contented smile on the blonde's lips.

* * *

Author's Notes: Again, cliché. I know. The following chapter will be pretty draggy and generally a filler… unfortunately, its pretty confusing as well…do bear with me and we will soon be off on our way to more action and fluff as well as my favourite scenes of love-love. LOL

Don't forget to click on the button below and continue to inspire me!


	7. Chapter 6

Author's Notes: Here we go. A short one. The next one is a filler chapter and its pretty boring… But for now, enjoy the fluff.

Read, Review and Enjoy.

Cheers

* * *

**My Fate, Our Destiny**

**Chapter 6**

Nanoha leaned back against the headboard of the wide bed, hugging a fluffy pillow to her chest. Inhaling deeply, she was slightly intoxicated with the comforting scent of Fate's conditioner. Her eyelids fluttered closed, as she gave up on keeping them opened. She barely had a wink of sleep throughout the night. Each time she started to drift off into unconsciousness, her mind would be plagued by memories of years past. Each individual event weaving through her consciousness left her more confused than ever. Up till now, she only managed to get the gist of what had transpired prior to Fate's blood seal.

That thought infuriated her.

What in the world was Fate thinking? Sealing her memories of the blond as well as sealing away her powers. It was no wonder that she had spent the last ten years of her life feeling lost and alone.

'_Silly Fate-chan, always wanting to fight alone. When will you finally get it through your thick skull that I'll always be by your side whether you want me to or not?'_

Still, she had to admit that it was a well thought out plan. Locking away all their memories together and literally removing all traces of herself with a seal that was impossible to break without the original castor. It was unfortunate that Fate's memories were tampered with. Had they not been, she was sure the blond would have come to her the instant she could.

Nanoha opened one eye as the sprinkling from the shower head cut off. A few seconds later, Fate stepped out from the bathroom with a white towel wrapped around her which barely covered the essential areas. The blond blushed as she noticed the now fully awaked Nanoha staring at her. Fate turned away as she ducked into her walk-in wardrobe, sliding the door shut behind her in embarrassment.

For her part, Nanoha was beet red as well. The image of the almost naked blond was seared into her mind. At that present moment, she was wearing a black denim skirt and a white turtleneck blouse that belonged to the blond. Not just that, she was also wearing Fate's lingerie. With visual confirmation, Nanoha had to accept the fact that the blond was slightly more endowed than she was.

The rustling of fabric as Fate got dressed in the walk-in wardrobe stopped and was replaced by a scrape of wood against wood as a drawer was slid opened. A muffled click then the drawer was slid closed.

Nanoha cocked her head to the side, listening intently to the faint footfalls as Fate stepped out from the closet. Meeting burgundy eyes, Nanoha could barely suppressed the happy smile forming on her lips. Her eyes followed Fate as the blond crawled onto the bed clad in her usual outfit of tight-fitting black jeans and a matching white turtleneck blouse and knelt behind her. Nanoha glanced back questioningly as the blond clasped a pendant around her neck.

"This is yours…"

Nanoha reached up, brushing her fingers against the ruby gem dangling around her neck on a leather necklace. The intensity of energy concentrated in the orb catching her by surprise as much as the burst of pink light in her consciousness.

'_Raising heart…'_

Pink light blinked once in response.

Turning around to face Fate, she gave the smiling blond a peck on the cheek in gratitude.

"What, no kiss?" Fate teased.

Nanoha stuck her tongue out at the blond who pretend to look hurt by her actions. Springing off the bed, she grabbed Fate's hand and pulled the blond to her feet.

"Come on. We have people to meet and things to do."

Dragging the blond towards the bedroom door, Nanoha hesitated as she realized she did not know her way around the house.

"Erm…you lead…"

She pushed the blond through the doorway before her.

With mischief in her eyes and an amused grin, Fate scooped the brunette into her arms and hopped down the stairwell, giggling as Nanoha yelped in surprise. Landing easily, Fate set Nanoha on her feet and the giggling pair entwined their hands as they left the two-storey house, gazing at each other silently throughout the bus trip to the hospital.

There was no need for words. Their hearts has and will always be in tuned to the other.

---

A knock on the wooden door echoed through the room before the door was slid opened. A woman with her dark hair bunched up in a single ponytail pushed up her thick frame glasses as she glanced up. Face brightening, she jumped to her feet and rushed towards the visitors.

"Nanoha-chan! Oh, and Fate-chan too!" Miyuki exclaimed, pulling her younger sister into a hug. Speaking over Nanoha's shoulder the older Takamachi sister continued to Fate.

"It's good to see you again after all these years, Fate-chan. How long will you be staying this time? Or are you back for good?"

Nanoha stepped back from her enthusiastic sister.

"Mou, onee-chan. I could hardly breathe…"

"Ah, sorry!" Miyuki apologized sheepishly.

-

"_What did onee-chan mean?"_

"_Ah…that. Well it was a little white lie that I created so the seal would work…"_

"_You have some explaining to do later, Fate Harlaown." _

"_I guess I do…"_

-

"I'm back for good, Miyuki-san. It's nice to see you again, though I can't say the same for the circumstances…" Fate replied smoothly, the other two occupants of the room none the wiser as to the mental conversation that had transpired between herself and Nanoha.

"Ah! Fate-chan!" The dark hair man currently sitting up on the standard hospital bed greeted cheerfully.

"And my adorable little girl!"

Shiro sat up straighter, wincing slightly from the jostle of his movements. He was bare chest with clean bandages wrapped securely around his abdomen and his ribs. The dull red blood encrusted scabs of a few scratches covered his chest and across his broad shoulders.

The slashes undoubtedly caused from a whip.

Nanoha skipped to her father's side, concern apparent on her features as she fussed over his injuries.

"I'm sorry, Papa… It was my fault…"

"Oh, don't be. It's not anyone's fault that I got into a car accident. Don't blame yourself alright."

-

"_What the hell?!"_

"_That's not my doing…"_

-

"Anyway, it's nice of you to drop by, Fate-chan. You have no idea how miserable our Nanoha was when you left all those years ago."

Shiro glanced at his youngest daughter as he addressed Fate who had moved to stand by Nanoha's side.

"I hope you recover soon, Shiro-san. It was unfortunate that you were caught up in a road accident."

Fate played along.

She had a stinking suspicion that a certain Lindy Harlaown had a hand in this. At the very least, she would not have to deceive Shiro about her strange healing powers. The last thing she wanted to do was to continue lying to her beloved's family.

"Well, I'm heading to the cafeteria to grab a bite, do you need anything?"

Miyuki glanced at Nanoha and Fate in turn as they shook their heads from side to side. With a wave, Miyuki slipped out of the hospital room, sliding the door to behind her.

"Hmm, where's Mama and onii-chan?" Nanoha asked casually as she perched on the edge of the hospital bed.

"At the café. We can't possibly close up just because I got a few scratches." Shiro guffawed.

His laugh cut off immediately as he winced in pain, bringing his palm to gently massage his bandaged abdomen. Nanoha reached out in concern, worry in her eyes.

"Don't worry about it. I've had worse. So, Fate-chan, what have you been up to the past ten years?" He abruptly changed the subject.

Fate glanced nervously at Nanoha who had an eyebrow raised sceptically.

"Ah. It's a long story…" She replied weakly.

"Seeing that I'm going to be stuck here for a couple more days, I've got lots of time. Oh, I guess I'm interrupting your time together, eh…"

"Ah no, no. Not at all Shiro-san."

"Yea, don't worry about it Papa. Besides, there's something we would like to tell you."

Quirking up his eyebrows, Shiro glanced between the both of them in interest.

"Don't tell me…"

His eyes narrowed in suspicion.

-

"_Are you sure about this Nanoha? We could wait if you are not comfortable about disclosing our relationship…"_

"_We've waited ten years already, Fate. Right now, I just want to scream out to the rest of the world that you are mine… Can you forgive my selfishness?"_

"_There's no need to seek for forgiveness. I feel the same way too. I want everyone to know that you belong to me."_

-

Smiling gently at the brunette, Fate was rewarded with a dazzling smile from Nanoha. Silently, the brunette raised her arm towards Fate who took her hand and stroked the back of Nanoha's palm with her thumb.

Nanoha looked back at her father pointedly. Comprehension drawn on Shiro's face as his suspicions was confirmed.

"I'm glad the both of you have found your happiness in each other." He beamed proudly at the two young women before him.

"Wait till I tell your mother about this. She'll be ecstatic! Our little girl has finally found her true love…"

Nanoha flung her arms around her father, grateful for his acceptance and approval.

"Thank you, Papa…" She murmured as she pulled away. Beside her, Fate expressed her gratitude.

"Now you two, go out and have fun. Such a gloomy environment is unbefitting for a happy couple." Shiro chastised playfully as he motioned towards the door.

"We will have a party once I'm out of this hell hole!" Shiro called out just before the two women stepped through the door.

---

"Whew." Fate let out a huff of relief.

"That wasn't so hard was it? Now we just have to tell the rest of my family." Nanoha continued happily, completely oblivious to the look of horror on the blonde's face.

"I dread the party already and it hasn't even started…" Fate muttered beneath her breath.

A pointless thing really, seeing that the both of them have impeccable hearing which outranges that of a typical human being.

"You won't be alone, Fate. Oh! There's someone I want you to meet."

Grabbing the blonde's hand, she was pleased when their fingers reflexively intertwine with the other. It was strange how that simple gesture of intimacy felt so natural.

-  
_" Fate, why is it that we can communicate this way?"_

"_That's simple. It's because our hearts and souls share an extremely deep connection. No matter the distance separating us, I will hear you when you call."_

"_Hmm…that night when I was harassed, how did you find me?"_

"_You don't remember?"_

"_Erm…not really…tell me please, Fate-chan?"_

_That strange tickling sensation again, almost as if the blond was chuckling. Which was a fairly accurate statement, seeing that Fate had an amused smile on her face._

"_You called out to me for help. Though at that time, I didn't know it was you…I haven't regained my memories yet. But I felt this compulsion to be by your side…"_

"_Huh. If it's that strong a compulsion, why did you have to leave so soon…"_

"_I couldn't stay… Not after taking out a bunch of guys on my own. Plus, I risked letting the humans find out about our identities."_

"_I guess that makes sense. Wait, our identities?"_

"_Yes, Nanoha. You are one of us. Albeit a little special."_

"_I don't understand?"_

"_I'll explain later. There are a few people I'd like you to meet. It would make all of this a little less confusing."_

-

"Here we are."

Nanoha stopped before one of the many cream-coloured doors after leading Fate up two floors and down an almost deserted hallway.

Fate glanced at the removable name plate beneath the door number which provided the patient information.

"Yuuno Scrya." She read aloud.

Nanoha knocked softly on the wooden door, before sliding it open after a muffled bade of welcome.

"Hey, Yuuno-kun." Nanoha greeted the blond man currently sitting up with a book cradled in his lap. Behind her, Fate scrutinized the blond carefully, taking in the male in his standard issued green hospital gown with round frame glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. He looked familiar, she concluded.

Nanoha walked further into the sparsely furnished room, leading Fate towards the end of the hospital bed in the center of the narrow room.

"Fate-chan, I'd like you to meet Yuuno-kun."

The two blondes stared at each other for a few long moments.

"Ahh!! You are that blond woman from that night!" Yuuno broke the awkward silence.

Quirking an eyebrow, Fate bowed slightly.

"A pleasure to meet you, Yuuno-san. I'm Fate…Harlaown."

"Likewise, Fate-san. I'm Yuuno Scrya."

Another long moment of awkward silence before Yuuno broke it once again.

"So you found her after all eh, Nanoha?"

"Nyahaha. I guess I did…"

"Not so much of a chance meeting though. We've only just realized we were childhood acquaintances." Fate added smoothly.

"I see. The both of you seem awfully close though…"

"Nyahaha. Fate-chan's special to me…" Nanoha laughed nervously.

"Special…Oh!"

The puzzle pieces fell into place as soon as he noticed that the two women had their hands firmly clasped together.

'_Tough luck, Yuu. She's taken already.'_

He shook off his thoughts, hoping that neither woman had noticed him spacing out while staring at the brunette. Thankfully, they were completely absorbed with each other. His relief was short lived though. The blond woman, Fate, shot him a hard glare which caused his blood to run cold.

'_Never mess with a possessive woman… Especially when it concerns their girlfriend.'_

"Anyway, are you attending Uminari University as well, Fate-san? I don't recall seeing you on campus before…then again, I've never seen Nanoha either…" Yuuno turned to regard the blond.

"For the time being, no. I've just returned from abroad, although I'm considering taking up a course there."

"Well, when you do, we can all have lunch together on campus." Nanoha interrupted cheerfully.

"Yes, we could." Fate glanced at her wrist watch as she replied distractedly.

"It was indeed a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Yuuno-san. But time is against us." Fate continued.

"Oh. I'm sorry, Yuuno-kun. We'll visit you another day."

With a final wave at the blond male, Nanoha skipped out through the door with Fate in tow. Not noticing the cold glare that Fate shot at the man before the door slid shut.

"What do you think of Yuuno-kun?" Nanoha asked casually as they waited for the elevator.

"Hmm…I don't like him, especially the way he looks at you." Fate replied as she led the brunette into the elevator car.

The metallic doors slid close with the push of a button before Fate depressed the acrylic tab for the ground floor.

"Oh? Is Fate-chan jealous?" Nanoha murmured sensually as she sidled up against the taller blond.

"O-Of course not." Fate replied brusquely.

"So Fate-chan wouldn't mind if Yuuno-kun or someone else has naughty thoughts about me?"

Nanoha trailed one slender finger across the blonde's taut abdominal muscles.

It was fortunate that they were alone in the elevator carriage.

Fate growled, the sound low in her throat as she grabbed Nanoha's straying hand. Turning slightly, she kissed the brunette aggressively, slightly surprised when Nanoha kissed her back fervently.

"_If you are jealous, Fate-chan, you could have just said so… I'd be too if someone else thinks about my Fate-chan that way."_

Nanoha spoke to her through their mental link. Fate could literally hear the mirth in the brunette's tone.

Fate pulled away first, breathing heavily.

Pressing a slender finger against Nanoha's lips, she stopped the brunette from her assault.

"The doors are about to open…"

Frowning slightly, Nanoha listened intently. She sighed softly when her ears picked up the clicks as the gear teeth caught on and the carriage grounded to a halt. Paired hisses of air as the pistons worked to open the metallic sliding door. With a soft kiss on Fate's finger, Nanoha stepped back from the blond just as the increasing gap between the sliding doors revealed the chaotic emergency room.

* * *

Author's Notes: My apologies for such a short chapter… Its actually part of the next chapter but I thought I would break it up into two chapters instead. Next up, a long and boring filler…

Reviews please! They inspire me!


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of MGLN

Author's Note: Wheee! It's been awhile hasn't it… well; the journey is almost over… unfortunately, this one is a major filler. Hopefully it wouldn't be too boring… but there are some things that must be explained for this story to move on. So bear with me, you have been warned… Read, Enjoy, Review!

Cheers!

* * *

**My Fate, Our Destiny**

**Chapter 7**

Footsteps paced across the room, rubber soled shoes scraping against the thick maroon carpet as the footfalls were muffled. Dark eyes flicked towards a wrist watch repeatedly, the second hand of the clock ticking ever so slowly by. Arms were crossed over a lean but muscular chest, muscles on the sinewed forearms standing out beneath the long sleeve black shirt.

"She's late." Chrono stated.

Behind him, with her legs crossed knee-over-knee, Lindy sipped on the contents in a porcelain tea cup. Her eyelids fluttering close in bliss as she savoured the unique taste. Her sea green hair was pulled up into a high ponytail and pulled to the front where it lay on her white blouse. Replacing the cup on its saucer, she smoothened out an invisible crease in her black skirt before leaning forward to pick up a small porcelain plate from the coffee table. Turning her head slightly to her right, she offered the plate to her pacing son.

"Would you like some cake?"

When she received no reply other than the continued shuffling against the carpet, Lindy carefully sliced a bite size wedge of the red bean tea cake and offered it to her son.

"Have some. It's good." She beamed.

Chrono shuddered inwardly. Whenever Lindy Harlaown offered something with a disarming smile like that, one would do well to accept it without question. Or deal with having said item shoved down one's throat. As the dark haired man passed by the back of the sofa, he reached out and fluidly accepted the offered cake on a silver fork. Glancing at the delicacy, he contemplated tossing it into the trash when his mother was not paying attention. He never did liked sweet things; a contradiction, seeing that his mother has an insatiable sugar tooth. Another brilliant smile was flashed his way and Chrono hastily shoved the sweet treat into his mouth, chewing quickly and swallowing visibly.

"You were right. It's good."

"See? I knew you'd like it."

The soft squeak from the front door hinges saved him from having to answer. Both mother and son turned towards the sitting room's entry way, waiting expectantly.

"I'm home." A soft voice called out, followed shortly by a shy voice announcing her entrance.

A blond and a brunette peeked into the sitting area, Fate smiling warmly at her family while Nanoha bowed shyly in greeting.

"Welcome home, Fate-chan…and Nanoha-chan…" Lindy greeted as she stood to pull them into an embrace.

Pulling away, Lindy gestured for them to settle into the love seat, discreetly winking at Fate as the blond passed. As silent as the wind, a short hair brunette entered, bearing a tray laden with porcelain ware, delicacies and a steaming pot of tea.

"Ah. Amy-san, thank you." Lindy thanked the brunette as she stood to help unload the contents on the tray.

Fate jumped to her feet as she caught sight of the older brunette entering.

"You seem a lot happier, Fate-chan. I gather Nanoha-chan is keeping you occupied?"

The short hair brunette winked before bursting into tinkling peals of laughter as the blond blushed furiously. Even Chrono chuckled as he moved to sit beside his mother.

"Mou…stop teasing me…"

Nanoha looked on, highly amused at the camaraderie.

"Since you are here as well, I trust you must be keeping Onii-chan busy?" Fate retorted in an attempt to savage her pride.

She succeeded as the older brunette flushed crimson and her stepbrother fidgeted with his cuffs, a motion that was rarely observed by the composed male.

It did not help when Lindy decided to join in.

"That explains the noises that kept me awake all night." The older woman chimed in much to her son's protests.

Clearing his throat, Chrono clasped his hands together, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. He waited till Amy settled into the sofa on Lindy's other side before speaking.

"Right, now that we are all here,"

He was interrupted then by a series of yelping as an orange fur ball bounced into the room. The fur ball leapt up onto the couch, using Chrono's head as leverage as it flew across the coffee table to land in Fate's lap.

"Thank you for joining us, Arf."

Nanoha stared in confusion at the puppy currently slobbering all over Fate's face. Last she saw, Arf was a woman with the ability to turn into a wolf, not a puppy. She scrutinized the puppy's features, noting the same white fur underbelly and at the tips of its ears as well as the distinct red mark on its forehead.

"No way… This is Arf? I thought she would be bigger…"

"Arf, puppy form!" The orange puppy spoke in a strange high pitch voice, much like a dog attempting to communicate with its yelps.

Nanoha turned towards Fate with a pleading look in her eyes.

Chuckling, the blond explained.

"Arf is my familiar. Usually, she shape-shifts into a wolf for its strength and agility. But at times, she would use this form to conserve her magical energy."

Nanoha nodded once, a disbelieving look still on her features.

Chrono coughed slightly, drawing attention back to himself.

"Moving on, let's hear what happened from two nights ago, from the time you met Nanoha again. Fate?"

With a curt nod, Fate retold the events that had led up to the night before and the confrontation in the Garden of Time. She omitted the unnecessary details, retaining only the facts and quoting when necessary. Lindy, Chrono, Amy and Arf listened with rapt attention, none interrupting even though they have several questions for the blond. As Fate was going through how she had tracked Nanoha after her trip to the brunette's family's café, she found herself unconsciously reaching out to grasp the brunette's hand in hers. Circles were drawn on her palm, the small motion surprisingly soothing to her nerves. The simple intimate gesture did not go unnoticed with the other occupants of the room, evident from the happy smile on Lindy's features and the twinkle of mischief in Amy's eyes.

After emptying two pots of tea, the room fell silent as the occupants absorbed the information. Chrono steeled his fingertips together, thinking deeply. By his side, Lindy sat with her eyes closed and arms crossed with a tranquil look on her beautiful features. Amy's restlessness had caused the brunette to hook up a laptop and she was now typing furiously on the attached keyboard. The plastic tabs clicking in a continuous rhythm as her fingers flew over the keys. Across from the three, Nanoha had her cheek pressed against Fate's arm, both her hands caressing one of Fate's as the blond stared off blankly into the distance. At her feet, the puppy Arf appeared to be asleep while lying on her back, her furry limbs spread akimbo.

An extremely uncharacteristic position for a puppy.

Minutes ticked by, marked by the shifting of the ever moving clock hands of the solid brass antique grandfather clock as it sat alone in a corner of the room. Beyond the glass windows, a last burst of light shot across the pinkish sky as the brilliant orange orb sank beneath the horizon. An orange hue blanketed the city before darkness crept into its place, snuffling out the fading light. A streetlamp by the iron wrought gates blinked into existence.

Like a predefined cue, everyone in the room simultaneously snapped out of their thoughts. Even Arf had one eye opened, surveying the solemn expressions on her family members faces.

Chrono spoked first, his tone sombre.

"There was once a belief. That if human beings can be replaced by our kind through an external means of genetic mutation, a new era would begin. The era of Al Hazard, the forbidden world."

"I think we need a history lesson here, Onii-chan." Fate interrupted as she caught sight of the confusion in Nanoha's slate blue eyes.

---

_Countless centuries ago, evolution of mankind started with the first walking higher primate. Fully adept at utilizing systematic communication systems to express themselves, this social interaction formed the basis of human society. As was their desire to constantly understand the world around them and to initiate changes, so were nature's abilities to evolve. Technology bloomed, skyscrapers shot towards the once unreachable skies casting long shadows across the land. Wars claimed millions of lives as man's desire to be the best led to senseless massacre. What was once a fairly united world where mankind lived in peace, fed and clothed became a place where mothers fear their children might never see the light of day again. Poverty reigned, once fertile land now lay barren as even Mother Nature took its revenge on the greedy humans. Once tranquil lands were now soaked with the blood of innocents. _

_Evolution began its cycle once more._

_A change in the protein structure of a single genome led to the creation of a new sub-species. At that point in time, no equipment or technique was capable of detecting this genetic mutation. As the days turned to months which dragged on to years, reports of fiends running amok spread like wildfire. Faster than an ordinary human, stronger than any man, these abominations were feared for their differences. _

_No one knew for sure what they were. _

_Till today, these evolved men live amongst the rest of mankind. Repressing their natural urges and suppressing their strength as they tried to fit into society._

_However, no urge can be suppressed for long even with the strongest of wills._

_An unplanned attack, a careless action set off a string of undesirable consequences. A body found partially hidden beneath black trash bags filled with refuse set off the first spark of rumours which spread like a wildfire as it raged on. The body of a young woman as identified by her dental records was found, her formerly baby smooth skin, now dried out and wrinkled. Post mortem revealed the caused of death as exsanguination through paired pinprick incisions made into her jugular vein. Yet not a single trace of blood was found at the scene._

_Vampire._

_The word was on the lips of everyone in the neighbourhood. Children and adults alike were advised to remain indoors during the night. Still, that did not stop the body count from increasing at a shocking rate. Each body found was completely drained of blood leaving a hollow humanoid shell. _

_What was once deemed as a homicide case morphed into a myth that parents told children. Entertainment industries based movies and novels on this myth, adding various quirks to make their characters more mysterious all in a bid for a quick buck. Unbeknownst to them, a certain group of individuals heaved a sigh of relief at the turn of events. _

_Their secret was safe._

_They were given an opportunity to live despite the odds._

_An opportunity that was about to be lost._

---

Fate smiled down lovingly at the angel cuddled up against her side, fast asleep. Brushing back a few strands of stray chestnut hair, she tucked those strands behind an ear, keeping them from shielding those delicate features. The brunette unconsciously pressed her head deeper into the crook of Fate's shoulder as her arms tightened around the blonde's slim waist. Fate leaned forward, brushing her lips against Nanoha's forehead in a fleeting kiss.

Across from the two women cuddled together in the love seat, Lindy smiled at the adorable sight.

"Chrono's history lesson must have been a bore." Lindy whispered, trying not to wake the slumbering brunette.

Chrono glared at his mother, affronted.

Chuckling softly, Lindy leaned forward, her elbows on her knees.

"You used the blood seal didn't you?" She stated quietly.

Fate only nodded silently in reply, her attention fixated on Nanoha's sleeping face.

"A dangerous method, but highly effective." Chrono added in his deep soothing voice as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I wasn't expecting my memories to be sealed." Fate scowled. "We wasted ten years, will we ever get those lost time back?" Fate mused quietly, her free hand moving to stroke Nanoha's cheek in a gentle caress.

"Fate, we don't know the extent of her powers. Now that your blood is mixed in with hers, she probably has your abilities as well. That would mean Precia might target Nanoha instead of you." At the mention of her name, the brunette stirred slightly. Her body relaxing only when Fate stroked her back soothingly.

"Perhaps. Not that my abilities would make much of a difference. She's stronger than any of us, even me." Fate choked out in a hoarse whisper. She wished she was stronger, just so she could better protect the one person who meant the entire world to her.

"So it's true? Nanoha-chan is indeed the angel of death? The white devil?" Lindy tapped a manicured nail against her cheek, deep in thought. "Such a young child too…"

Fate pulled the slumbering brunette closer in her one arm embrace. A gentle smile graced her features when the peacefully sleeping brunette muttered her name during a lull in unconsciousness. _'I will never let anyone hurt you, Nanoha.'_ Fate made a mental promise to her slumbering angel, sealing it with a soft kiss on the brunette's forehead.

"A strange turn of events indeed. The white devil and the terror of darkness are bounded by the red threads of fate." Amy muttered as her fingers flew over the keyboard at inhuman speed.

Fate quirked a questioning eyebrow at the short hair brunette, who simply grinned impishly in response. Turning her attention back to her step brother, Fate voiced the question that had been weighing on her mind ever since the conversation first began. "Onii-chan, you mentioned Al Hazard. What is that?"

"It's a belief among our kind that someday; only our people will walk on this Earth, with no need to hide our powers or the truths of our birth. The only way for that to happen would simply be to eradicate the Homo sapiens by forcing a large scale genetic mutation."

"Large scale?" Fate frowned in confusion. "Do you mean with magic?"

"Yes," Chrono replied hesitantly. "With a tremendous amount of magic." The dark haired male paused. "You are one half of the accursed twins, Fate. With your powers and Alicia's combined, there would be more than enough energy to trigger an age of Al Hazard."

"You are the other key to Precia's plan." Lindy continued softly, unable to meet her adoptive daughter's piercing gaze.

Realization hit Fate like a club on the head. Swallowing thickly, she whispered hoarsely. "So, if I'm gone, all of this wouldn't take place?"

"No…this is something that would happen no matter the circumstances. It's just dependant on who and how." Chrono cut in. "Besides, if you were absorbed into Alicia as theorized, Precia would have unlocked the ruins nine years ago. Even if you weren't, that woman would have found some other way. It's not your fault, Fate."

Almost as if she was paying attention to the conversation, Nanoha tightened her arms around Fate's waist unconsciously. Her fears alleviated, Fate brushed her lips against the brunette's forehead, grateful for the contact.

Chrono coughed softly, drawing the attention away from the two women. "As I was saying, the Al Hazard is believed to be sealed in an ancient ruin. To unlock it, a massive amount of magical power is needed. There are prerequisites though. The caster has to be a young child, preferably the surviving twin or at the very least, a child with a tremendous amount of magical power."

"My guess is that Precia intends to absorb your powers and transfer them to Alicia who would then unlock the seal to the ruins." Lindy interrupted. "That is something we must never allow to happen. If Precia succeeds, there is simply no telling the consequences. A large scale genetic mutation might be triggered or…" She trailed off as she averted her gaze.

"Or the entire world might be wiped off, casting all the organisms back to Stone Age." Chrono completed glumly.

Fate stiffened slightly as she absorbed the information.

"No kidding." The blond mumbled, flabbergasted.

"Unfortunately." Chrono inclined his head slightly. "Fate, we have given most of our lives to prevent our people from being discovered. We cannot stand by and watch while some mentally unsound woman throws everything away for her personal selfish reasons."

"Said mentally unsound woman is my biological mother. I don't know if I can raise my blade against them…"

"Fate-chan, all of us have people whom we hold dear. Even though we are not blood-related, you are still my precious daughter that I would give anything to protect. I understand if you cannot fight against your biological family. However, I hope you will not resent me for I will not rest until I have eliminated all that threatens my daughter." Lindy stood up gracefully at the conclusion of her miniature speech. "I'd willingly suffer your wrath than to see you hurt…" With that, the older woman left the room as silently as the wind.

Fate leaned back into the cushions, mulling over Lindy's words. It wasn't that she was not capable of fighting. During their last meeting, it was unsettling to be fighting against her older twin sister. Not just that, it was nostalgic. They had sparred several times before, though none of them were ever as intense as last night's debacle.

"_Fate-chan…You don't have to fight if you don't want to. I will protect you, Fate-chan." _Fate blinked as Nanoha's consciousness brushed against her own. Glancing down, she found the brunette watching her through hooded eyelids, a sleepy haze still fogging those beautiful sky blue irises. A warm palm rubbed against her back, fingers pressing against her pressure points in an attempt to ease her tense muscles. In that instant, just looking into Nanoha's slate blue eyes, she made her decision. To protect her angel in her arms, she would go to any extent, including battling against her twin sister and her mother. Smiling warmly down at the brunette, Fate pulled her into a tight embrace and nuzzled against Nanoha's neck.

Across from them, Chrono stared agape at the intimacy. His eyes strayed to the two women's fronts pressing against each other. Quickly, he averted his eyes least he were to be accused of ogling his sister. Is there something so seriously wrong with men that two voluptuous women would choose each other instead of a male? At Fate's feet, Arf jumped to her feet, growling as she fixated her gaze on him. With a light spring, the familiar slammed into his chest in a blur of orange and white. Growling low in her throat, Arf spoke to him with her fangs bared. "I saw that." It would have been threatening had her voice been deeper and not whiny.

Casting a sidelong glance at Amy who was still absorbed in her work, he whispered back in reply. "I did not do a thing."

"Not yet. But don't you even try. I'll rip your throat out." She bared her fangs for emphasis.

Chrono swallowed visibly. There was no doubt the familiar woman would do just that. When it comes to her beloved mistress, Arf was one you wouldn't want to mess with.

"Arf? What are you doing?"

Arf glanced back at Fate who was still had her arms wrapped around Nanoha's waist. Plastering a grin on her face or at least as happy a grin a puppy could muster, she bounced off Chrono's chest, taking great care to dig her claws in before leaping off. Sitting back on her hind limbs, she wagged her tail expectantly for Fate to scratch behind her ears. The blond obliged and Arf relished the attention. It has been so long since she had last seen her beloved mistress.

"Arf, I need you to give Amy the coordinates to the Garden of Time and the floor plans as well. We are going to end this…" Fate trailed off, her fingers paused momentarily in its motion before she patted the familiar affectionately on the head.

"We are going then." Arf looked expectantly at her mistress for confirmation.

A slight inclination of Fate's head, told her all that she needed to know. The playful twinkle in her dark eyes was replaced by a cold hardness. Springing to her feet, Arf prowled across the room towards Amy, sitting back on her hunches as she waited for the short hair brunette.

"_Are you sure, Fate-chan?"_ Nanoha gazed worriedly at the stoic blond.

"_As long as it keeps you safe, I'd do anything."_ The blonde's reply was not reassuring in the least.

"_You won't fight alone this time. I'll be right by your side as I'm destined to."_

"_Destiny eh… That kind of reminds me of what Precia said about my name…"_

"_Don't think about what she said. I like your name, Fate-chan. My Fate."_

Fate smiled down at the brunette, surprised that something so simple could make her feel so at ease.

"_Yes, my angel. It's our destiny."_

A surge of warmth flared through Nanoha at hearing the endearment.

'_My Fate, our destiny.'_

The End.

Of Part I.

* * *

Author's Note: GOTCHA!!! We are nearing the end though. A couple more chapters to wrap things up and this fic would be done… allow me to explain why I've decided to split up the fic into two parts. It is mainly because the following chapters don't exactly follow the current timeline… It has already been written and currently undergoing the process of editing… my apologies if it's confusing…

A shout out to my wonderful readers, this story would not be possible without your support and encouragement.

In reply to markesellus: Overboard with the descriptions? Hmmm…I didn't notice that… I tend to write based on what my mind's eye sees… does that even make sense… but I will try to cut down on the descriptions! Promise!

With that being said, do review! They make me really happy and they inspire me to write faster.

_-nudges reader towards review button-_

Cheers!


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own MGLN.

Author's Note: Okay, time for another update. My apologies but this is a filler LOL. And unfortunately, it's also the second last chapter… we are nearing the end of this journey… This takes place three months after chapter 7. **This chapter has been edited on March 22****nd****.**

Read, Review and Enjoy.

Cheers!

* * *

**Three months later…**

_Black leather boot clad feet slid backwards on smooth homogenous tiled floor. A clear reflection of a swiftly descending blade in the light beige tiles was shattered the instant the tip of the reflection met its counterpart in reality. The pointed blade scraped against the floor, raking up bits of ceramic and cement in its wake. The momentum halted and boots clopped its way steadily forward as the blade embedded in the cemented ground was tugged lightly out of its deep groove. The boots traced the jagged path created by the yellow tinted blade, stopping at its origin. The iridium-titanium shaft met its reflection as the scythe was rested against an unbroken tile. Even in the now slightly dusty tiling from the destruction earlier, yellow energy could be seen crackling around the scythe in the poor reflection._

**My Fate, Our Destiny II**

**Chapter 8**

---

"_Fate! Are you alright?"_

"_Yeah. I'm fine. Are you?"_

"_Stop worrying about me and focus."_

"_Right. I'll be counting on you for our defense then."_

"_Fret not, worrywart. Nothing shall pass my barrier."_

"_Worrywart?! Who's the one who's constantly doing reckless things here?"_

"_Erm…you? You are contradicting yourself, Fate."_

"…"

"_What? Its true isn't it. You know it is, Fate. I'm sure you a pretty familiar with a woman with long blond hair who constantly endangers herself."_

"_And I know a certain chestnut hair woman who's always so reckless."_

"_Speak for yourself, Fate-chan."_

Right on cue, Fate jumped straight into the path of a rapidly advancing energy lance aglow with brilliant yellow energy. The five pinkish translucent spheres encasing both women collapsed on itself to form a five-layered circular barrier directly before the blond. The yellow energy lance struck the pinkish barrier in a shower of sparks and ear piercing screeches as the lance attempted to bore its way through the reinforced barrier. Fate and Nanoha winced in unison at the high pitched shrill.

"You won't get through!" Nanoha muttered under her breath as she poured more energy into her barrier.

The round shield glow brighter in intensity as the drilling motion of the intruding lance slowed drastically. Hairline cracks appeared in the solid energy lance, causing bits of it to dissipate into the air in a shower of sparks.

With a tinkle that was surprisingly clear in the heat of the battle, the lance broke into smithereens. The multi layered shield immediately separated into its individual spheres and returned to shimmering around the two women.

A look of smugness spread across Nanoha's delicate features as she remarked. "See? I told you nothing would get through."

"Perhaps one isn't enough. How about a dozen?" A childlike voice called out mockingly from across the room.

As soon as her sentence was completed, a dozen energy lances sped towards the barrier, whistling through the air before embedding themselves into the energy shell. Nanoha grimaced at the onslaught, her jaw clenched tight as her forehead creased in concentration. Standing before her, Fate heaved Bardiche in its scythe form in a lazy arc before twirling it in a dizzying circle. Her slender hands were a whirl of motion as the titanium shaft spun hand over hand in a blur of silver and yellow. A swirling mass of cackling yellow energy framed the twirling scythe as more energy built up. Nanoha stepped directly behind the blond who was standing with her feet apart in a ready stance. A single bead of sweat trickled down the side of the brunette's face, leaving a damp trail in its wake. The droplet of sweat clung desperately at her jaw, before falling from gravity's pull.

Time slowed as each second dragged on. The droplet of perspiration sped towards the tiled floor like a dead weight as its reflection in the homogenous tile raced upwards to meet its counterpart. An inaudible splash as it hit the floor, its reflection mimicking every move in reverse. The impact broke the spell and the seconds ticked on.

The five layered barrier broke apart to allow Fate to leap forward before enclosing Nanoha in its protective magic. Fate flew through the air, spinning her revolving scythe from side to side. The twirling blade charged with magical energy clashed with the energy lances like claps of thunder. The yellow energy lances were cut down one after the other as Fate spun around them, dodging and attacking in a deadly dance. Each lance was snapped into two like dry twigs before the energy giving them their solid form was absorbed into the revolving scythe which glowed with a glaring intensity like that of the sun. With a final twirl, Fate let her right arm fall to her side with her glowing scythe still throbbing with energy. Hopping back lightly, the pink barrier parted to allow her lithe body into its protective shell.

"Impressive defense. But with your constant defending, the both of you will never get a chance to attack." Alicia mocked from the other side of the room.

Nanoha clicked her tongue in disapproval while Fate simply kept her jaw locked. "Never get a chance to attack? Says who?" Pink balls sizzling with energy shot towards the girl in a knee length pinkish dress from all corners of the room.

Alicia's eyes widened in surprise. She had not anticipated such a move from the two older women. Throughout their drawn out battle, she had assumed that they were too preoccupied with defending to lay a trap.

'_That chestnut hair girl might be too much of a handful for me to handle alone. And Fate… She's stronger than before… I must not falter. I will have their power.'_

Alicia gritted her teeth in determination. Throwing up a glowing yellow barrier around her, she summoned more of her energy lances, imbuing them with raw electricity. With a flick of her small wrist, she sent the solidified energy towards the pink barrier. The air rippled as the yellow energy lances sped towards their target and with a loud boom, they crashed into the pink protective shell which simply shuddered slightly before the progress of the lances was halted. Not a second later, Nanoha's energy balls smacked against Alicia's barrier. The yellow barrier fluctuated, its intensity dimming considerably before glowing brightly in a repetitive cycle.

The pink energy balls continued revolving, pressing against the protective barrier and causing deep indentations. Alicia sent a ripple of invisible energy after her lances, aiding the pointed ends to bore deeper into the five layered shield. In her concentration, she failed to notice a few of the pink energy balls dissolving part of her barrier and gaining entrance. At the last possible second, Alicia whirled around to come almost face to face with half a dozen energy balls spinning towards her. Hastily, she flung her hands up to protect her face while a triangular magic scrawl fanned out from her open palm. With the revolving magical scrawl, she deflected some of the pink energy while absorbing the rest.

"Starlight breaker."

Her azure eyes were blazing with cold fury as Raising Heart hovered in midair glowing with a blinding brilliance. A huge beam of pink energy shot out from Nanoha's outstretched left palm, scorching the air around it and leaving a wave of heat in its wake. The energy ray raced towards the wide eyed Alicia who attempted to stop the barrage with another of her shields. The girl was trapped like a deer caught in a pair of glaring headlights.

Trapped and cornered.

One hand held off the spinning pink energy balls while the other attempted to deflect the incoming energy ray. Beyond her barrier, several balls of energy were trying to force their way past the resistance. There was no way she could escape.

None whatsoever.

The last thing Alicia Testarossa saw was white light.

The energy beam slammed straight into the small body, engulfing it in its brilliance.

---

"Alicia!" Precia howled in alarm.

Just a few meters away, the small body flopped onto the cold hard ground like a rag doll. Precia stretched her arm towards her daughter, her eyes watering at the unmoving body. A solid roundhouse punch slammed into her jaw, dislodging a molar. Spitting out the blood and the tooth fragments, Precia turned to face her opponent with a snarl. Her whip was wrenched through the air in a swish before it was straightened abruptly. With a loud crack, the reinforced rubber of the whip made contact with flesh. Crimson droplets were shaken free as the whip was retracted for another strike.

With a low growl, Arf nimbly dodged the second slash of the whip. Morphing into her wolf form, she darted swiftly from side to side mere milliseconds before the lashing end of the whip snapped against the tiled floor that she was previously standing upon. Two meters away from the furious Precia who had just lashed out her whip, Arf leapt into the air and twisted her body to the side. Her left hind limb stretched out before her outline turned fuzzy as she morphed back into a woman. With her momentum, her boot clad foot slammed into the dark haired woman's face with a fleshly smack.

Precia stumbled back from the kick. She had not bothered to put up a barrier seeing that the familiar woman's attacks would pierce through it in a matter of time. Besides, she was channelling all of her magical energy to her precious Alicia. However, now that Alicia had been knocked out cold, the return of energy nearly overwhelmed her.

Time for Mommy to play.

The air sizzled; minute particles crackled with energy as sparks flew. The ground beneath her shook, cracking the smooth tiles into fragments as volatile lightning struck the ground around her.

Arf back flipped, putting some distance between herself and Precia. Cracking her knuckles, the seasoned leather squeaked as she clenched and unclenched her fists.

'_Shit. If she uses magic, I won't be able to defend myself.'_ Arf glanced swiftly around her surroundings, looking for something that she might use to even the odds. Her eyes fell onto the motionless form of the little Fate look-alike girl. _'Perfect.'_ A smirked formed on her face as she darted forwards, shifting into her wolf form in a blur of motion.

One second she had been standing in the center of the room and the next, she stood with the limp body of Alicia cradled in her arms.

"Get your filthy hands of my little girl!" Precia bellowed in rage.

Her dark hair with a faint shade of purple was lifted with the unseen forces of her magic. Her violet eyes blazed a crazed fury as energy crackled around her.

A blur of yellow and Fate stood directly before the deranged woman, unflinching despite the constant jolts of energy passing through her body.

"Okaa-san, stop it… You can't control this power." Fate spoke gently, almost pleadingly.

"I am not your mother!" Precia roared back.

A fleeting sadness flickered past burgundy eyes.

"Please, Precia-san. You have to stop now, before this goes out of control." Fate waved her free arm to gesture at the unnatural lightning storm. Adding quietly, she continued. "You may not regard me as your daughter. But there is no denying that you are my biological mother. So please, stop this. I don't want to see you or anyone getting hurt. At the very least, do it for Alicia."

"You have no right to mention Alicia's name. You were not even supposed to exist in the first place." Precia spat out angrily. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't even be having this confrontation. Alicia and I would have been in Al Hazard with what's rightfully ours!"

"What's never yours to begin with, you can never obtain." A deep voice spoked up from the darkness around the perimeter of the room. Two muted clicks of boots against tiled floor brought Chrono into the edge of the lighting. "What doesn't belong to you, you cannot take by force."

"Shut up. What does a boy know." Precia snapped.

Her eyes glinted with malice as she waved an arm towards the dark hair man standing with his arms folded across his chest. A clap of thunder in the confines of the room caused the combatants to wince as three bolts of mauve lightning struck the ground Chrono had been standing on simultaneously.

The man had sidestepped the bolts effortlessly.

'_I can't use my element against her. Water is a conductor of electricity. One wrong spell and I'd be electrocuted to toast. It can't be helped now. Only Fate can deal with her. Only Fate and…Nanoha…' _

His dark eyes glanced towards Fate and caught the blonde's attention. With a meaningful nod, Chrono stepped back to stand beside Arf.

A solemn expression formed on Fate's delicate features as she tightened her grip on Bardiche's shaft. Sighing inwardly, she lowered her body into a battle stance, forearms locked to keep Bardiche at the ready.

"_Nanoha…"_

"_I'm with you, Fate. Always."_

Precia's eyes narrowed as Fate stepped back from her. Abandoning control of her miniature lightning storm in favour of her whip, she swished the thick coil of rubber back and forth. Thin lines of energy around her raced towards the ground, heating up the air and throwing flickering light around the room.

"What are you going to do now, girl?" She taunted.

This time around, it was not Fate who made the first move. From behind the blond, Nanoha lunged forward with a pink energy spear clutched in her hands. The tip of the spear glanced off the shield that Precia had summoned in the nick of time. With barely a second for her to regain her balance, Nanoha was sent flying backwards by a crackling bolt of lightning.

Pink spheres of energy zoomed in towards their target, zigzagging around the countless bolts of lightning which attempted to strike them down. Embedding themselves in the mauve barrier, they fused through the layers, causing the surface to ripple.

The blast that resulted was strangely muted. Just a sudden increase in light intensity which glowed with a brilliant white light. The mauve barrier throbbed under the pressure of the huge amounts of energy contained within its surface. Hairline cracks formed before another burst of light shattered the barrier.

Fate who was the nearest, shielded her eyes with her free hand.

But the white light never did engulf them.

Peeping through her fingers, Fate burgundy eyes widened in surprise before she allowed her arm to drop to her side.

"Whew. Just in time." A gentle voice sighed in relief.

Lindy stood up from her kneeling position on the ground. The revolving magical scrawl glow a light green beneath her as it spun in lazy circles. Within the hemisphere which had a faint greenish outline, white light ebbed into the ground as the dust settled. Precia slumped against the broken tiles, her hand clamped over her mouth as she coughed roughly. Glazed eyes surveyed the room before fixating on Alicia's limp body.

"Give me back my baby…" She sputtered between the coughs racking her body.

A few crimson droplets seeped between her fingers, splattering against the jagged edges of the tiles. Pulling herself on to her knees, she half crawled, half dragged her weak body to the edge of the barrier. A bloody hand was pressed against the barrier wall, only to be wrenched back at a sudden jolt of electricity.

The magic circle at Lindy's feet dimmed and faded out completely as a look of sympathy crossed her features. Nodding slightly to the familiar woman, she watched as Arf stepped towards Precia cautiously. Alicia's limp body was placed gently onto the concrete ground covered with fragments of broken tiles where the small body was clutched desperately by the weakened Precia. Her bloody palm caressed Alicia's baby smooth cheek, leaving a bloody trail on the pale skin.

"Alicia…wake up, mommy's here." Precia sobbed out as she gently shook the limp body.

Fingers brushed back pale blond hair from a porcelain neck as Precia searched for a tell tale sign of life. Finding the weak pulse of the throbbing carotid artery, Precia slumped back on her legs in relief.

"She's just knocked out cold…" Nanoha offered quietly as she stepped towards the older woman.

Precia hugged Alicia's form to her chest protectively as she shot the brunette a hard glare. "Stay away from her. If it weren't for you and your meandering ways, none of this would have happened."

"But I can help! She's just magically exhausted!" A pink sphere of energy crystallized above Alicia's chest, the orb throwing pinkish light on the young girl's pale face.

"We don't need your help." A wave of her bloody palm sent the orb floating back to its owner. Cupping Alicia's cheeks, Precia's eyelids fluttered closed in concentration as she tapped into the magic within her. Her palms glow an unearthly purple as the light seeped into Alicia's flesh causing her cheeks to flush. The girl inhaled deeply, drawing in a lungful of air before releasing it in a steady breath.

Her chest rose and fell in a repetitive cycle. Each breath was released with a soft whoosh as colour returned to her face. Her heart beat stronger, each squeeze sending life giving blood through her body.

Another deep inhale of air then, nothing.

The relief on Precia's face vanished as she shook Alicia gently. "Alicia?" she called out tentatively.

Still, nothing. It was as if the girl was holding her breath for a dive into icy waters.

Worry crept across the slightly lined but still attractive face as Precia nudged her daughter, calling out softly to the girl.

Air was released in a sudden whoosh as it rushed out through Alicia's nostrils. Her heart fluttered weakly in her chest, each beat weaker than the last. Her limbs jerked spastically as they screamed for oxygen. The last 'lub' of her small heart echoed in her chest before the muscle stilled.

"Alicia…" Fate whispered as a single tear spilled over from Nanoha's eyes.

All of them had heard it. The final struggle of the small heart in her frail body. Alicia's last moments in her mother's arms.

The howl of grief was more than any of them could bear.

The ground shook violently, fissures splitting the concrete ground as the pillars supporting the roof trembled. Large chunks of the overhead concrete ceiling fell towards the occupants of the room, crashing further into fragments as barriers of various colours formed hemispheres around the casters.

Her shoulders shook with barely suppressed pain as Precia cradled the cold body of her daughter to her chest. Her knees trembled as she pulled herself into a standing position. A single purple magical scrawl spun to life beneath her feet. The double lines of the circular scrawl revolving in opposite directions as the characters of a language long forgotten shone brightly. The ground beneath it disappeared completely, leaving an empty black void in its place.

"Okaa-san!" Fate shouted in alarm as she lunged towards Precia.

Pulling Alicia's stilled form closer, Precia allowed herself to be pulled back into the dark void. Fate stretched out her right arm, straining to catch hold of the falling woman. Clambering to the edge of the black hole, she sprawled on the ground, her arm outstretched.

"Fate!" Nanoha hurried to the blonde's side, one hand gripping the folds of Fate's jacket.

The bottomless black hole sucked loose objects into its vacuum. Fragmented tiles were drawn towards the void in the ground where they hovered before being pulled into its depths.

In its dark embrace, Precia smiled a haunting smile up at Fate. "Damn you, Fate. Damn you."

The edges of the void drew tighter, its gaping mouth narrowing as it closed in on itself. With a desperate tug, Nanoha dragged Fate back in the nick of time just as the void blinked out of existence.

Fate crawled into a sitting position, hugging her knees to her chest as she rocked back and forth. A single tear escaped from her eye which was brushed back by a warm thumb. Nanoha wrapped her arms around the shaking blond, offering her warmth and support silently.

"_Don't blame yourself, Fate-chan. It's not your fault. You tried…"_

"_But I didn't try my best…"_

"_You did. Trust me, you did."_

"_Even at the end, she still hated me…"_

Nanoha shook her head, pulling the blond into a tighter embrace as she brushed her lips across Fate's forehead.

"_Hate is still an emotion. The opposite of love isn't hate, Fate-chan. It's indifference. At the very least, she cared enough for you to harbour hatred… I know it's not a consoling thought but…still…"_

"_You are not very good at this, aren't you Nanoha."_

Fate turned slightly to smile sadly at the brunette who grimaced.

"Sorry…" Nanoha mumbled, flashing an apologetic smile at Fate.

"Thank you, Nanoha." Fate pressed her forehead against the brunette's, leaning in for a soft peck on the lips.

"Ladies, we have to get moving. This area is about to cave in on itself." Chrono interrupted.

"I'll try to hold it off for as long as I can. Amy will be opening a portal for us." Lindy waved her arm towards the ground, creating a similar magical scrawl from before. The green hemisphere which was larger than before deflected falling chunks of debris as the pillars collapsed.

The space before Chrono blurred for an instant before it parted in a vertical slit revealing white light. The portal stretched wider, its edges causing a ripple in the air.

"Come on ladies. Time to go." Chrono gestured at the shimmering portal.

Arf bounded forwards in her wolf form, leaping head first into the white light. Nanoha shivered as the wolf's head disappeared into thin air first, followed by the rest of its lean body. With a last flick of her tail, Arf disappeared completely into the portal. She had witnessed this quite a number of times, yet she could never get over the nausea inducing sight of a body missing certain parts. It just seemed so morbid.

"Shall we, Nanoha?" Fate asked gently, offering an open palm to the brunette.

Gripping Fate's warm hand in hers, the two women strode towards the shimmering mass and walked right into it.

It felt like she was immersed in a pool of water. The air was thick and it was hard to draw a breath. She felt a light tugging on her hand and remembered that Fate was by her side. Nothing could be seen in the blinding white light. Her eyelids fluttered closed as she attempted to move forwards, blinded. It was like walking through mushy snow with its consistent resistance. The air was cool on her face yet suffocating.

She had to move. She had to get out of here.

That tug on her arm again but this time it was more insistent. Shuffling forward, she put one foot in front of the next as her free hand stretched out before her to feel her way through the thick mass.

The coolness ebbed away and she was yanked into a warm embrace. The arms circling around her waist was familiar and soothing.

"Fate…" She murmured gratefully into silky golden locks.

The fissure behind her rippled as Chrono strode out of the void, marching towards Amy who was crouched on the living room floor. Answering the questioning glance the short hair brunette shot his way, Chrono settled on to the couch. "She's on her way."

---

Lindy Harlaown surveyed the room, taking in the debris accumulating on her magical barrier and the crumbling pillars. Her eyes drooping with sorrow, she strode into the fissure behind her. Olive strands of hair floated slightly before they disappeared into the portal. The glowing green barrier dissolved instantaneously, allowing the roof to cave in. With a small blink of white light, the portal closed just as the gaping maw of a black void reappeared to swallow the little island regarded as the Garden of Time.

Where there once stood an island, a torn piece of clothing was left floating on the rippling water.

A piece of pink fabric imprinted with a bloody smear of a palm.

---

Lindy stepped out of a fissure suspended in thin air gracefully. Her inch high black court shoes marched across the carpeted floor briskly. Flipping a few stray strands of olive hair behind her shoulder, she settled onto the couch beside her son.

"So," She started, glancing at Amy's direction. As soon as the short hair brunette met her eyes, Lindy continued. "Amy-chan, would you do the honours?"

Nodding in affirmative, Amy got up from her kneeling position and waved a palm dismissively at the receding magical scrawl. The portal blinked out of existence with a soft buzz as the brunette perched on the edge of the couch.

"Right, the magical readings." Pausing momentarily, she waited for Fate to lead Nanoha to their usual love seat before delving into the technical aspects of the previous battle. "Once again Nanoha-chan, your magical output is off the charts. But what's really surprising is Precia Testarossa's magical output. By pulling out past records, I have managed to chart out Testarossa's magical signal and that last spell of hers certainly did not match."

"In other words, you mean to say that she did not summon that black hole?" Chrono summarized.

"Yes. I think we are missing out on something here. The containment of Nanoha-chan's magic in Lindy-san's barrier as well as Precia's lightning spell… There's more than enough to break the seal on the ruins. Only thing is, we don't know where this ruin is located…"

"Wait. I think we do." Fate interrupted, her burgundy eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Right beneath the Garden of Time…" Nanoha whispered in astonishment. "That black void…and the tremendous amount of energy contained within…"

"Oh shucks. We opened the Al Hazard ruins." Chrono massaged his temples gingerly.

Odd glances were cast his way as everyone else in the room raised an eyebrow sceptically at his words. Even Arf had her huge wolf head cocked slightly as she surveyed him. Chrono glanced up then, taking in the looks of disbelief on his family members faces.

"What?" He asked self-consciously.

They shook their heads in unison.

"Moving on then. So that void is Al Hazard. Which means Precia and Alicia Testarossa are in there right now. Any chance we can still seal it?" Chrono glanced at each one in turn; slightly irked at the strange looks they were throwing his way. "Okay, seriously; what?"

"You said 'shucks'." Fate half whispered, lowering her voice to fake disbelief.

The room promptly burst into laughter at Chrono's expanse.

No one would have thought the dignified Chrono Harlaown would use such language.

"Amy, updates on the black void please." Chrono ignored the rekindled peals of laughter as he directed his attention to the short hair brunette.

Amy met his gaze squarely, burst into another fit of laughter before sobering up to reply. "It reappeared to consume the island. But other than that, nothing so far. I've got no hits on its magic signature." Amy glanced at her laptop screen, eyes scanning the readings. "From what I've managed to dig up on the ruins, it's essentially just a void. Anything that enters simply disappears without a trace until the next time it reappears. Fate-chan, Testarossa-san and Alicia-chan are somewhere within that void, suspended within time and space."

"They are still alive then?" Fate scratched the side of her head in puzzlement. "But Alicia…" She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. It hurt too much to think that her twin sister was really dead.

"I caught a trace of her magic signature. Though there's something different about it. But yes, she's still alive. Both of them are." Amy replied distractedly, her attention focused on her laptop screen.

"I see." There was no emotion in Fate's voice. No inflection to show the inner turmoil within her heart. She did not feel relieved that her mother was still alive yet she felt the guilt for not saving her blood family. She should be grief-stricken or at the very least in a state of shock yet she wasn't. She was painfully aware that her mother and sister would probably never appear again. She knew nothing can be done to save them, to remove them from the clutches of an uncontrollable force. She felt the guilt, yet a bigger part of her couldn't care less. Nanoha was safe and that's all that matters. Another wave of guilt nearly overwhelmed her, only broken by the melancholic sound of Lindy's voice.

Lindy, Chrono, Amy and Arf; her other family. Or her beautiful and understanding soul mate? How could she be so selfish as to wallow in self-pity when her family members are trying so hard to help her cope? How could she disregard their concern for her to indulge in her emotions? If anything else, there were so many more reasons to live for.

'_Thank you for giving life to me, Precia okaa-san. But you can no longer dictate my life.'_ The guilt did not lessen but at the very least, she found a reason to live for. Nanoha and her ever supportive adoptive family. For them, she will be stronger. For them she will live her life to the fullest without looking back to regret her decisions.

'_If only the circumstances of our births were different, Alicia. Perhaps we would both be happier…'_

"There's nothing we can do except to wait till the next time it appears. We can't risk opening the void by force." Lindy concluded, her sombre voice pulling Fate from her thoughts.

"So we are just going to be sitting around and waiting?" Fate queried.

"Yes. I'm sure Nanoha-chan must be missed at school. Besides, how about taking up a course, Fate-chan? I know you hate inactivity…" Lindy surveyed the blonde through slitted eyelids. "Besides, it's an opportunity to be near Nanoha-chan at all times." She teased.

"Hmm…that's a pretty good idea…" Fate replied thoughtfully, she was grateful for the change in topic. She would even disregard the teasing remark which was a calculated move on Lindy's part to ease the tension.

"Let me know which course you are interested in and I'll talk to the Dean about it."

"Isn't that sort of illegal?" Nanoha interrupted in surprise.

"Not at all. Fate-chan does have the necessary credentials to enter almost any course. The benefits of being a Harlaown daughter." Lindy winked.

"I have always wondered, Lindy-san. What do you, Chrono-kun and Amy-san do when you are not stuck in this mess?" Nanoha cocked her head, her brows furrowed in thought.

"We run a private investigation business." Amy chirped, her fingers forming the victory sign as she jumped into the conversation.

"Oh. Okay, that makes sense." Nanoha replied stiffly.

No, it doesn't make any sense at all. She had yet to wrap her mind around how her previously normal life was turned completely upside down with a chance meeting and now she was thrust into a completely different world.

It doesn't make any sense at all.

---

Nanoha lay on her side, facing the wall of Fate's bedroom as she hugged one of Fate's pillows to her chest. Her mind was whirling as it replayed the events of the day. It had been an extremely long day being both mentally and physically draining. Even more so for Fate...

'_Poor Fate-chan… It must be really painful to have to watch your mother and sister being taken from you, even if its by some unstoppable force.' _

Sighing deeply, she buried her head deeper into the fluffy pillows, inhaling Fate's unique scent which still clung to the freshly laundered bed sheets. The mattress shifted slightly as warm arms encircled her waist. Without turning back, she pressed herself further into the soothing embrace, knowing without a doubt that it was a certain blonde.

"Why the deep sigh?" Fate murmured into her ear, hot breath tickling her neck.

"Are you alright, Fate-chan?" Nanoha replied with a question of her own.

Without further explanation from the brunette, Fate understood what Nanoha couldn't put into words.

"It's depressing and at times, it really hurts…but I have you here with me." Fate pulled the brunette into a tighter embrace, her lips brushing softly against the back of Nanoha's neck.

Nanoha turned in Fate's arms to face the blonde. Her arms wrapped around the blonde's slim waist as she returned the hug. Right now, the least she could do was to hold Fate, hoping that her presence would be enough to keep the pain away even if only for a little while.

Fate rested her forehead against Nanoha's shoulder, a smile forming on her lips despite the sadness weighing on her heart.

"It's more than enough you know." Her words were soft, barely breaking the silence in the otherwise empty house. "It's more than enough." Fate repeated as they drifted off to sleep with Nanoha holding the blonde in a rare reversal of roles.

* * *

Author's Note: Oops. I realized that I have quite a lot of author's notes… but I can't help it!

**This chapter has been edited. Thank you lilgumba! I hope it flows better now…**

Anyway, the last chapter has already been written. But I was wondering if I should up the rating to M for it… it does contain certain scenes. Not as graphic as Reunion though it could be. I omitted a good ninety percent of the steamy action in favour of a T-rated fic. Oh well, I'll write a fully M-rated fic to make up for this…

Don't forget to click on the green review button below. It makes me happy and it makes me write faster.

Story alert, favourite story and favourite author email alerts are nice…but it's the 'New Review' alert which really makes my day…

Cheers!


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own MGLN.

Author's Note: Here we are. The last chapter. It has been a long journey hasn't it?

I'm hoping that with this chapter, I would be able to redeem myself for the previous chapter… though I sincerely doubt it. There are still some unanswered questions that I have yet to tackle. But they would have to wait.

For now, Read, Review and hopefully, Enjoy.

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My Fate, Our Destiny II

**Chapter 9**

Fate stood beneath the high arch of the iron wrought gates, her eyes trailing up the five storey tall brown building at the end of a long walkway. Her burgundy eyes took in the pink flowers floating on a light breeze as they were shaken free from wide spread branches of the many cherry blossom trees lining the walkway.

It was picturesque perfect.

Taking in a deep breath to calm her nerves, she took her first step onto the grounds of Uminari University.

A warm hand slipped into hers then, the soft pad of a thumb drawing circular motions against the back of her hand in a calming manner. Turning her head to the side, she met the unwavering gaze from a pair of azure orbs. Smiling warmly at the brunette, she gave the slender hand in hers a reassuring squeeze.

"Hi." A spark of joy ignited in those clear blue eyes.

"Hello." The reply was cheerful with a flirtatious lilt in the brunette's tone.

"Nervous?" The brunette guessed.

"A little." Fate replied vaguely, her eyes moving to survey her surroundings.

A warm body pressed against her arm as the brunette moved closer.

Fate smiled amusedly at the brunette now hugging her arm. "Bold aren't you." She teased.

The radiant smile she received rivalled even the brilliance of the sun. "Just making my claim on what's mine." There was a mischievous glint in those azure orbs.

"Really now. And how do you intend to go about that, Nanoha?" Fate smiled a crooked smile at the brunette.

"This." Nanoha replied as she leaned forward.

The kiss was slow and sensual. Both women holding back their desires and longing as their lips grazed against each other's in a well practiced motion.

---

"Whoa! Do you see what I see, Suzuka?" Arisa elbowed her dark hair friend in the ribs in excitement.

Suzuka winced slightly at the painful jab as she massaged her ribs gently.

How could she not notice the very public display of affection that was taking place at the front gates? It was too obvious for anyone to possibly miss. Even a blinded individual would be able to sense the electrifying tension in the air.

Rolling her eyes at the two women wrapped around each other, her arm automatically shot out to pull Arisa back. Shaking her head at the questioning glance her blonde friend gave her, Suzuka winked mischievously before striding forward to the unassuming women both of whom were still lost in their not so private moment.

Stretching out both hands, she clapped them hard on their backs.

The resulting yelps of surprise as both women hastily pulled away were priceless.

Arisa guffawed loudly as she joined her lavender hair companion, giving the woman a thumbs-up for her prank. "Great job, Suzuka-chan." She sputtered out while clutching her abdomen to suppress the ache all the laughter was causing.

"Mou…you two… you scared us…" Nanoha glared at the triumphantly grinning Suzuka and the gasping Arisa. By her side, Fate merely smiled sheepishly.

It took a few moments and several gulps of air before Arisa calmed down to speak properly. "Who are you?" She quirked an eyebrow at the other blonde.

"Oh, right. This is Fate-chan, my…girlfriend." Nanoha completed, smiling at the taller blonde with adoration.

"Hello, I am Fate Testarossa Harlaown. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Arisa-san and Suzuka-san." Fate inclined her head slightly in greeting.

A flicker of surprise flashed across Nanoha's eyes before she smiled dazzlingly at her blonde girlfriend. She noted the slight change in Fate's name, proud that the blonde had thought things through and accepted herself.

The round of introductions was completed before the four started off for the main building.

"So you are the reason why Nanoha-chan has been missing for the past three months." Arisa commented dryly to the other blonde.

"No! It's just that things have been hectic and all…and you cut your hair, Arisa-chan!" Nanoha abruptly changed the topic, gesturing at her blonde childhood friend's new hair style.

"Yeah, I did. Don't try to change the subject, Nanoha-chan." Arisa admonished. "We want details."

"Yes, details. Like what happened after that time Fate-chan bought something from Midori-ya." Suzuka chimed in.

A blank stare was all they got in return.

"Huh?" Nanoha tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Oh! That time! Well… Fate and I met a long time ago… She only came back a couple of months ago… and we had a lot of catching up to do and…"

"Nanoha, you are rambling." Fate smiled at the brunette who had trailed off mid sentence.

Nanoha clamped her mouth shut in embarrassment, her cheeks turning an adorable shade of red.

"I've only just returned recently to complete my studies here. My apologies for selfishly keeping Nanoha to myself the past three months, we had quite a lot of catching up to do. Besides, she was helping me to adjust to living on my own as well." Fate explained smoothly.

"Yeah, catching up I'm sure." Arisa glanced at Fate and Nanoha's clasped hands and continued as an afterthought. "You had better not make her sad or you will have to answer to us." Arisa threatened.

"I hope we wouldn't have to go through that." Fate smiled gently at Nanoha who was looking up at her then.

"Thank you, Arisa-chan. It was nice of you to give us your blessings. And I really like you new hairstyle, it suits you." Nanoha gave her blonde friend a one arm hug.

"Yes, it does suit her doesn't it. I'm happy for you both, Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan. Not to dampen the mood, but Arisa and I have some news to announce." Suzuka declared.

"You are both gay and in love with each other. We know." Nanoha stated before moving ahead with Fate.

"Huh? But we never told anyone!" Suzuka replied in shock at their retreating backs.

---

Fate stood alone on the bridge, gazing out at the clear blue waters of the sea. It had been a year since she was reunited with Nanoha and regained her memories. So much had happened in that span of time. Al Hazard, the forbidden ruins were opened and promptly disappeared soon after taking her mother and sister from her. No, they left her. In a morbid sense, she did miss her mother. The hope that if she did as told, she would be rewarded with a kind word or a gesture to show that her mother did cared about her, even if just a little. She sorely missed Alicia though. They used to be so close, inseparable. That changed as they got older. No longer do they spend their time playing in the fields on the Garden of Time, instead, they were forced to spar with each other literally almost every waking moment. Initially, the competition drove them to strive harder but soon enough, it became unhealthy. From closely bonded twins, they became competitors and as the desire to surpass each other grew, they became enemies, constantly at each other's throats to one up the other.

Then, there was her adoptive family. Lindy who has continually showered her with love and support, Chrono always being around to listen to her problems and dispensing advice, even Amy was like a sister to her though the short hair brunette was in fact her sister-in-law. And Arf, who had been with her through all her trying times. Though their relationship was that of mistress and servant, Arf has always been like a caring older sister amid needy at times.

But more importantly, Nanoha. The one who has captured her heart and soul. The woman she was destined to be with. The girl who had saved her from her darkness, Nanoha. They had graduated together from Uminari University recently. Nanoha with her Bachelor's in Business Management and herself with a Bachelor's in Criminology. She clearly recalled the look of joy on Nanoha's face during their graduation ceremony. Of how the brunette had turned to beam proudly at her after receiving her graduation certificate from the Dean. That affectionate smile that brunette reserves for her, the way her azure eyes lit up when they meet her burgundy orbs. Even thinking about the chestnut hair woman warms her heart. Her gentleness, her heart warming smile, her soothing voice and comforting embrace…

'_I miss you, Nanoha… Where are you…'_

---

Nanoha jogged steadily uphill, slightly out of breath from the light exercise. Making a mental note to condition her body, she pushed herself onwards. As ironic as it sounds, she was running late. Rounding the crest of the hill, she slowed her approach to a brisk walk as her eyes glanced about, searching. It did not take long for her to notice the woman leaning against the railings and looking out at the sea. Besides, she couldn't ignore the gentle tug within her conscience that always led her to Fate.

Nanoha literally had to remind herself to breathe. Fate had her elbows leaning against the stainless steel railings with a thoughtful look on her gentle features as burgundy eyes looked out at the calm sea. A light sea breeze ruffled her fringe and she raised a hand to tuck several stray strands behind her ear. With the sun high up in the sky, her blonde hair shone like fine threads of molten gold in the sunlight.

Fate was breathtakingly beautiful.

Nanoha sucked in a gulp of air as she hurried forward. Nearing the blonde, she called out cheerfully as she waved. "Fate-chan!"

The blonde turned her head at the mention of her name. Burgundy eyes locked onto azure before a soft smile spread across her features. "Hey." She called out in greeting.

Nanoha stopped before the blonde giving her trademark laugh. "Nyahaha. Did you wait long, Fate-chan?"

The blonde shook her head before smiling sheepishly. "No, not at all. I was early…"

"So, what were you thinking about?" Nanoha leaned back against the railing.

Fate hummed in reply before returning her gaze to the sea. "A lot of things."

"Really? Such as?"

"You." Fate admitted.

Nanoha blushed furiously when Fate tilted her head to scrutinize her.

"Mou…don't look at me like that…" She glanced away in embarrassment.

Fate chuckled lightly before propping her chin against the palm of her right hand.

"So, why did you want me to meet you here, Fate-chan?"

Burgundy eyes bored into her until Nanoha looked up to meet Fate's gaze.

"Fate-chan?" She called tentatively when the blonde did not reply.

"You don't remember?" Fate asked quietly as a flicker of doubt crossed her eyes.

"I do." Nanoha replied simply.

How could she not remember? It was this very spot where Fate first called out her name. This was where they shared their first hug. In a sense, this place was where they 'officially' met. This was also the place they last shared an innocent memory before they were wrenched apart for ten long years.

This was where it all began.

"Nanoha…" Fate turned her body to face the brunette fully.

Hesitantly, she reached towards Nanoha who all but jumped into her arms. Holding Nanoha close, Fate deeply inhaled the familiar scent of the brunette's hair conditioner as she relished the warmth in her arms. Seeking strength from the body pressed against hers, Fate summoned up her courage.

"Nanoha, will you move in with me?" Fate mentally praised herself for not stuttering.

However the stillness of the warm body against hers was unsettling. Perhaps it was a little too soon. Perhaps she should have waited a little longer before she asked this level of commitment from Nanoha. They had dated for a little more than a year after all. They were both only twenty, still too young to be living independently by most standards. Perhaps they should re-evaluate their relationship before this huge step.

Fate's mind stopped its ramble as the slender arms around her waist tightened. Hot breath tickled the nape of her neck, almost causing her knees to buckle at the sensation. Moist lips pressed themselves on the flushed skin, leaving a damp mark which tingled as the cool breeze started up once more.

"Take me home, Fate. Take me home now." Nanoha whispered huskily into her ear.

---

The bed sheets were cool against her back and in sharp contrast to the warm body pressing down on hers. Her face was flushed as she struggled to control her breathing. It was too hard to draw in a steady breath. Those moist lips trailing along her jaw was too much of a distraction. Hot breath tickling her neck caused her to gasp in pleasure as her heart beat erratically in her chest. A pair of warm hands slithered down her front, fingers constantly massaging as they made their descent. A slender finger slipped between the folds of her white blouse, the light touch against her bare skin causing a fire to ignite within her. Her back arched upwards, pressing her body against the warm one above her.

"Fate…" Nanoha panted.

The roaming appendage stopped. Burgundy eyes hazy with lust peered at her, wordlessly seeking her permission to continue.

"Be gentle…" Nanoha breathed out against Fate's neck as she pulled the blonde fully atop her.

Nanoha could feel Fate smiling against her neck before two pinpricks of pain stabbed into her flesh. Gasping in surprise, she grimaced at the pain which subsided quickly to pleasure.

The warm tongue lapping at the steady stream of blood was strangely erotic.

Nanoha wrapped her arms around the blonde, her hands bunching up the soft cotton fabric of Fate's black top each time the blonde sucked lightly. An aching need was building up within her at each flick of Fate's tongue against her skin.

On the other hand, Fate was nearly dizzy at the sudden surge of power. The coppery taste of Nanoha's blood was subdued by the saltiness of a light sweat and the brunette's unique taste. Coupled with her previous ministrations, Nanoha's blood was highly stimulating with its peaked levels of endorphins. However, what struck her the most was the raw power within Nanoha's bloodstream. She could feel the drastic increase in her magical energy from just a few droplets of blood. Pressing her tongue against the puncture wounds, Fate applied just enough pressure to aid the blood to clot before pressing her lips against the twinned bite marks in the soft flesh.

Nanoha sighed softly at the gentle kiss. Her eyelids fluttered opened to meet piercing burgundy orbs. Fate's irises were blazing a rich crimson.

"Enjoyed your little meal?" Nanoha whispered as she stroked Fate's face with one hand while the other rested against the blonde's back.

Fate hummed in response, leaning down to kiss the tip of Nanoha's nose. "You taste good."

Nanoha blushed a deep scarlet. "That sounds so wrong, Fate…"

"Really? I still have quite a lot of tasting to do." Fate smiled wickedly.

"Don't make me wait for too long…" Nanoha murmured against Fate's partially parted lips before leaning up for a kiss.

Lips parted to allow entry to a probing tongue which proceeded to explore the cavity. Fate groaned into the passionate kiss, meeting Nanoha's tongue in a battle for dominance. As their tongues danced against the other's, Fate's hands slipped between their bodies to fumble with the buttons on Nanoha's blouse. A warm palm pressed against her bare back, the other busy nudging the black top up.

Breaking the kiss, Fate straddled Nanoha's left thigh as she sat back on her knees. Pulling her top off, she dropped it on to the carpeted floor as Nanoha sat up to shrug her blouse off her shoulders to join Fate's discarded black top.

Slender fingers ran along the vertical groove in the center of her abdomen. Fleeting touches inched up her abdomen before trailing along the band of her black lacy bra as they traced each full cup. Fate bit back a moan at the gentle touch and instead, pulled Nanoha in for a searing kiss. The fingers slipped around to her back as they fumbled with the clasp of her bra. A muted click and her ample assets spilled from their confines. The bra was tossed onto the ground, quickly joined by Nanoha's neon orange bra.

Hands on shoulders gently pushed the brunette onto the bed before trailing along her collar bone to cup a soft globe of warm flesh in each palm. A sharp intake of air broke the silence of the room as fingertips grazed across a sensitive region. A pair of velvety lips followed soon after, butterfly kisses were placed wherever the fingertips roamed.

"Fate…" Nanoha breathed out raggedly as the blonde slid further south.

Her black denim skirt was unzipped and tugged off to fall atop the rest of her outfit. Clad only in her striped pink cotton panties, Nanoha shyly pressed her thighs together. Burgundy eyes met her azure orbs in an unwavering gaze as Fate wordlessly sought her permission to proceed. Nanoha allowed her eyelids to flutter close as she leaned back onto the fluffy pillows, surrendering herself to Fate.

Hot breath set her nerves on fire as Fate breathed against the inside of her thighs. Nanoha trembled from the overwhelming desire stirring deep within her. She could barely suppress the urge to pinned Fate onto the bed and make…wait, where did that thought come from? Nanoha would have blushed at such thoughts but what did it matter anyway? They were about to do the deed.

'_Oh my gosh! Fate and I are about to make hot fiery love-love!' _She squealed in the privacy of her mind.

Thankfully, further random thoughts fled her mind as soon as she felt hot breath against the junction of her thighs. Squirming in the discomfort stemming from her suddenly moist undergarment and the heated air against her, Nanoha accidentally squeezed Fate's head between her thighs.

"Ouch…" Fate muttered as she pried Nanoha's thighs apart to free herself. "Gosh, Nanoha. You just ruined the mood…"

"Sorry…" Nanoha smiled apologetically as she watched the blonde sitting up.

Azure eyes followed the long strands of sunshine blonde hair then strayed towards the blonde's chest. Nanoha blushed a deep scarlet as she took in Fate's ample bosom, particularly the twin peaks standing firm upon generous globes of flesh. Shyly, Nanoha reached forward to cup one globe in her palm. Her surprise was immediately replaced by desire as she marvelled at the softness in her hand. Squeezing her fingers together, she was rewarded with a small moan escaping from Fate's throat.

"You sure know how to get right back into the mood, don't you?" Fate whispered slyly.

Before Nanoha could think up a retort, Fate's half naked body was pressing down on hers.

Fate wasted no time as her fingers deftly slipped beneath the elastic band of Nanoha's striped panties. Moving further south, her fingertips brushed across coarse curls before she slipped the panties off Nanoha's hips. The coolness of the air against her heated core was too much for Nanoha to bear and she gasped audibly. Fingers threaded through golden locks before clenching into tight fists as hot breath tickled against her highly sensitized skin. With the obstruction of her panties removed, each touch against her center sparked off tremors that racked her body.

Fate's warm tongue against her nearly sent her screaming over the edge of ecstasy.

---

The room was shrouded in darkness however neither needed light to see. Hands gently caress bare arms as burgundy met azure. Neither women spoke for there was no need for words. A hand trailed upwards to cup a flushed cheek, fingers stroking down the side of the blonde's face.

"Thank you, Fate." Nanoha murmured as she leaned forward to place a soft kiss on Fate's lips.

The kiss grew increasingly passionate as both women parted their lips for roaming tongues to engage in a sensual dance. Fate pulled Nanoha closer, arms slipping around the brunette's waist as she hugged her close. Bare bodies pressed against the other sharing their warmth beneath the thin blankets as a chilly breeze snuck in through the partially opened windows.

Nanoha sighed contentedly into the kiss as she wrapped one arm around Fate's neck while the other hand continually caressed the blonde's soft cheek.

After what seemed like hours, both women pulled away, slightly out of breath. Nanoha gazed into Fate's calm burgundy eyes as their breathing even out.

"I love you, Fate." Nanoha whispered sincerely.

Fate smiled gently as she replied. "And I love _you_."

Smiling softly, Nanoha threaded her fingers through silky blonde hair before a thought turned her smile into a frown. Questioning eyes peered at her as Fate waited for her explanation.

"How are we going to tell my family that I'm moving in with you?"

It was Fate's turn to frown. "Way to go, Nanoha. You just had to ruin the mood again." She accused mischievously much to Nanoha's chagrin.

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Author's Note: There you go. I didn't redeem myself, I know. The unanswered questions…will be answered in a sequel. Yes you read it right. A sequel. Which I would write once I've sort out the mess in my head. There are several ideas which I'm just dying to try out… Expect more multi-chapter AU fics!

I won't be back for a week or so. Flying off to Hokkaido for a holiday. I desperately need the inspiration…

Till then, take care ya all! And don't forget to review!

Cheers!


	11. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own MGLN… T_T

Author's Note: And to end it all off, an epilogue. You can think of it as an omake? Its basically just pointless stuff…

But do review!

I've always been curious as to what other's think of my weird sense of humour or lack thereof…

Cheers!

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My Fate, Our Destiny II

**Epilogue**

"You are what?!" Takamachi Momoko exclaimed incredulously.

The rest of the Takamachi family were seated on the L-shaped sofa with their eyes fixated on Nanoha who sat with Fate on the two-seater couch. Momoko's eyes were bulging out of their sockets as she stared at Nanoha in shock. Shiro was unexpectedly calm as he patted his wife on her back in an attempt to sooth her. Kyouya had a frown on his handsome features as he mulled over his little sister's announcement while Miyuki simply looked flabbergasted.

They weren't taking too well to the news.

"You are moving in with Fate-chan?" Momoko tried again, her voice strained.

Nanoha nodded nervously, her hands grasping Fate's left for support.

"But the both of you are still too young to be living on your own. I'd worry endlessly about whether you girls are eating alright. Have you told Lindy-san about this, Fate-chan?" Momoko turned to Fate, in the hopes that Lindy was against their decision.

"Erm…I've been living on my own for the better part of the year…" Fate replied hesitantly. "And Lindy okaa-san approves of our decision…" Fate mumbled the last part of her sentence.

"Two girls living together. There will be no men around?" Kyouya turned his gaze back to the visibly nervous Nanoha.

"No! It'll just be us in Fate-chan's house…" Nanoha replied quickly.

"Are you sure? The both of you wouldn't be bringing men home, are you?" Kyouya probed. He tried not to sound accusatory but the safety of his sister was more pressing.

"NO!" Nanoha nearly shouted. Lowering her voice, she repeated calmly. "No. Fate-chan and I… We are not like that…"

Miyuki leaned forward from across Nanoha, slapping a fist into her other palm. "Ahah! The both of you are more than just best friends right?" Miyuki wagged a finger playfully at both women who had stiffened at her statement.

Nanoha turned to her father, eyes pleading for help. "Papa…you didn't tell them?"

Shiro grinned at the grimace on Nanoha's features. "Nope, thought the both of you should. Besides, Fate-chan is family now."

"Tell us what?" Momoko demanded as she turned sideways to glare at her husband.

"Don't look at me, ask them." Shiro replied cheerfully as he waved a hand at the blushing women.

"Nanoha."

Nanoha knew then that she was in trouble. Momoko rarely used that tone of voice unless she was really frustrated. She had better clear up the misunderstanding. She had assumed that her constant flirtatious behaviour around Fate would have been enough of a tell-tale sign. Or at the very least her family's acceptance of Fate as part of the family meant they were aware of the special relationship she shared with the blonde. Guess she was wrong. It was time to come out of the closet, so to speak.

"Fate-chan, is my girlfriend." Nanoha stated evenly.

Momoko appeared as if she was about to faint, Miyuki had a triumphant 'I knew it' grin on her face, Shiro was still smirking while Kyouya looked deep in thought.

"My sister is a lesbian! I knew it. I just knew it!" Miyuki proclaimed.

"Well, if it's Fate, I don't have to worry too much then." Kyouya nodded in approval.

"How could the three of you be so calm about this?!" Momoko sighed in exasperation. "So all those stay overs, the both of you have been…" Momoko trailed off as she noticed Nanoha blushing a lovely shade of crimson. It didn't help that Fate kept her eyes averted as her cheeks were tinted scarlet.

"Oh my gosh…" Momoko slumped onto her husband, hands desperately clutching at Shiro's shirt for support.

"Now now, weren't we the same when we were their age?" Shiro rubbed Momoko's back soothingly.

"In any case, I feel that Nanoha is old enough to make her own decisions. As long as she is sure of what she wants, she has my support." Kyouya smiled fondly at his youngest sister and Fate in turn.

"And mine as well." Shiro echoed, nodding his approval before winking at Fate.

"No objections here either. Though I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that my sister is a lesbian. But then again, it's with Fate-chan. So…well done, little sis!" Miyuki flashed a thumbs-up gesture at the still flushed face Nanoha.

All eyes turned to regard Momoko who sighed dramatically. "Well, I don't have any objections either… but make sure the both of you call frequently and come back for dinner every week. Fate-chan, take care of Nanoha, alright? She can be really stubborn at times…"

"Mou…Mama…" Nanoha protested.

"Yes, I will. We'll come back for dinner every week and we will even help out at the café when we can." Fate compromised.

"Good. Now, let's take a look at your new home, Nanoha-chan." Momoko declared as she stood up.

"Huh? What?" Nanoha's head snapped up in alarm.

The last thing she needed was for her family to see the messy bed and the pair of handcuffs she had left dangling from the headboard from the night before. Not to forget, Fate's hastily ripped open shirt strewn on the carpet with its buttons all over the room. And the matching sets of lingerie.

Oh crap, the lingerie.

The matching sets of see through lacy lingerie with a set in black with purple trim and another in white with blue trim.

She would have to bury herself somewhere if her family ever saw that.

The End

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Author's Note: It's always sad to finish something that you have been working on for so long… Now that it's done, I feel a little lost…

But on a brighter note, this fic is actually the first fic I've completed. I'm kinda proud of myself though I probably still have a long way to go before I can be a professional writer… It's a dream that I'm determine to see through till the end. So help me out here. Help me to grow as a writer, to improve myself and to write pieces of fiction that readers would enjoy.

It's easy, just review.

Cheers!

I look forward to seeing all of you wonderful people again for my next fic. Special thanks to those who have stuck with me from the beginning. Without you, I would probably never complete this. Cookies to BPHaru for the advice and reviews.

By the way, I'm looking for a beta…anyone interested? LOL


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